Mehdi Eker, the Turkish Minister of Food Agriculture and Livestock states that all foreign investment in agriculture in Turkey will have full cooperation and support from the Turkish government. Agriculture in Turkey ranks first in Europe and 11th in the world. In the past nine years, Turkish agriculture exports increased by 277%. By 2011 the value of Turkey’s agricultural exports reached US$135 billion. Eker states that Turkey has a young population and a quickly developing economy. Foreign investment in agriculture in Turkey was US$14 million in 2002, and has reached US$2 billion in the first half of 2012.