THE GLOBAL WINDOW OF TURKISH FOOD AND AGRICULTURE The Global Window of Turkish Food and Agriculture Sector
Related Articles
Türkiye’s leading agricultural centre of Adana’s Yüreğir Chamber of Agriculture Chairperson Mehmet Akın Doğan said that in order to overcome problems such as unplanned production and climate change in agriculture, a model based on planning in agricultural production should be adopted and farmers should be encouraged to produce in accordance with market demands.
Doğan reminded that farmers, who contribute to the agricultural sector, have suffered losses due to the decrease in the market value of over-planted crops on the one hand and crop losses due to increasing temperatures and extreme weather conditions on the other hand and said, “This situation leads to large decreases in farmers’ incomes and faces serious threats to the sustainability of the agricultural sector.”
Noting that the agricultural sector has been facing the negative effects of unplanned production and climate change in recent years, Doğan continued his words as follows:
“Unplanned production, which has been going on in the agricultural sector in Türkiye for many years, has become one of the biggest problems of farmers. Especially in certain crops, when production exceeds market demand, surplus crops are produced and this leads to a serious drop in market prices. For example, some of the crops planted in surplus this year resulted in farmers not earning the expected income. Due to surplus crops, market saturation has occurred, prices have fallen and farmers have not received the return for their labour. Unplanned production not only causes economic losses, but also leads to inefficient use of natural resources. In particular, unnecessary consumption of resources such as water and soil threatens the long-term sustainability of agricultural production. This weakens the country’s agricultural potential and puts food security at risk.”
Stating that farmers in the region also have to cope with the challenges brought about by climate change, Doğan said, ‘Especially in recent years, increasing temperatures and extreme weather events have negatively affected agricultural production. This year, due to the temperatures above seasonal norms in Çukurova, crops were burnt and farmers suffered major crop losses. Extreme temperatures negatively affected the growth process of plants, reducing productivity and the expected amount of product could not be obtained during the harvest period. Moreover, climate change is not limited to temperature increase; it also leads to irregularities in precipitation regimes. Unexpected droughts or sudden downpours disrupt agricultural activities and upset farmers’ plans. This situation increases uncertainty in agriculture, making it difficult for farmers to manage their risks.”
“The support given to maize and wheat was insufficient in cotton”
Doğan highlighted that the support given to maize and wheat was insufficient for cotton and explained, “Cotton producers were in a difficult situation. Cotton producers could not earn enough income in the face of increasing costs and low market prices. The unbalanced distribution of supports caused cotton production to decrease in some regions and farmers to turn to alternative products. Although cotton is a product of strategic importance for the Turkish economy, farmers’ income from this product has been decreasing in recent years. Inadequate support leaves cotton producers in a difficult situation and this situation jeopardises the continuity of cotton production. If farmers move away from cotton production, it will both make it difficult to supply raw materials to the domestic industry and enhance the country’s dependence on cotton imports.”
“A model based on planning should be adopted in agricultural production”
Drawing attention to the difficulties experienced in the agricultural sector have soared farmers’ concerns about the future, Doğan added, “Solving problems such as unplanned production, climate change and insufficient support is vital for the sustainability of the agricultural sector. In order to overcome problems such as unplanned production and climate change in agriculture, firstly, a model based on planning in agricultural production should be adopted and farmers should be encouraged to produce in accordance with market demands. In addition, in order to mitigate the impacts of climate change, it is of great importance to promote climate-friendly practices in agricultural activities. The distribution of state subsidies in such a way that farmers do not incur losses will play a key role in ensuring the economic stability of farmers. Boosting support for strategic crops such as cotton will encourage farmers to continue to operate in this field. In this way, both the sustainability of the agricultural sector will be ensured and the national economy will be strengthened.”
