THE GLOBAL WINDOW OF TURKISH FOOD AND AGRICULTURE The Global Window of Turkish Food and Agriculture Sector
Related Articles
TÜRKTOB Chair Hacı Ömer Güler stated that domestic maize seed production plays a strategic role in Türkiye’s agricultural independence and sustainable production goals; increasing domestic production, exports and success in variety development solidify progress in this area.
Domestic maize seed production has become one of Türkiye’s priority strategic areas in terms of both ensuring sustainability in agricultural production and reducing external dependency.
Hacı Ömer Güler, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Turkish Seed Growers Association (TÜRKTOB), explained that the work carried out in this area has yielded significant results in terms of both productivity and economic contribution.
Güler stated that domestic maize seeds provide significant increases in productivity thanks to their ability to adapt to regional climate and soil conditions. “These seeds, which have the potential to develop resistance to diseases and pests, offer a production system that is more tolerant to risks such as climate change and drought,” he said.
Highlighting the spike in domestic maize seed production over the years, reporting that production, which was 44.8 thousand tonnes in 2019, had surged by nearly 100 percent to 88 thousand tonnes by 2024, he noted, “87.9 thousand tonnes of this amount was produced by the private sector and that 99 percent of maize seed in the country is produced by the private sector.”
Güler also explained foreign trade data, stating that Türkiye exported 81.2 million dollars worth of maize seed in 2024, compared to 59 million dollars worth of imports. The export-to-import ratio reached 137 percent in dollar terms…
