THE GLOBAL WINDOW OF TURKISH FOOD AND AGRICULTURE The Global Window of Turkish Food and Agriculture Sector
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In our daily conversations, everyone can surely say something about fish. To add a little depth to the subject, how about we delve into some more current, economic, scientific and socio-economic details?
Let’s not even mention its importance in human nutrition here. Fish is not just an inevitable food source for its omega-3 vitamin content. In addition to its rich protein content, the polyunsaturated fatty acids in its structure meet the body’s basic nutritional needs and rank among the top nutrients for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It is at the top of the list of animal protein sources. When we look at the feed-to-gain ratio in animal feed, we cannot ignore the superiority of fish. As is well known, while 1.1 kg of feed may be sufficient to gain 1 kg of body weight in farmed fish, this amount is 1.7 kg in poultry and 6.6 kg in cattle.
In addition to fishing, which is subject to quotas, aquaculture is of great importance both globally and in terms of national food security, economy, and environmental sustainability. According to 2022 data, 92 million tonnes of fish are consumed through fishing and 94 million tonnes through aquaculture worldwide. While Europeans consume an average of 30 kg per person annually, Japanese 60 kg, and Africans 15 kg, it is noteworthy that our country’s citizens consume an average of around 8 kg of fish per year.
(Fish production in Türkiye in the last 25 years – Blue line: Hunting – Red line; Aquaculture – Green line: Total)
Given that our country produces a total of 980,000 tonnes of fish according to 2024 data, with a total coastline length of 8,333 km, 200 natural lakes, over 300 reservoir lakes, approximately 750 small lakes, and 33 major rivers, couldn’t we provide our citizens with more fish?
When we look at the last 20 years of our fishing industry (graph), it is striking that while fishing has decreased from 500,000 tonnes to 360,000 tonnes, aquaculture has increased from 80,000 tonnes to 600,000 tonnes, bringing the total to 980,000 tonnes. This indicates that Türkiye has the potential to further increase its aquaculture production. However, to what extent is this increase sustainable?
When considering physical constraints, we cannot assume that our capacity utilisation in cage aquaculture is unlimited. The number of cages in both inland waters and seas will eventually reach a limit. Factors such as water pollution can be cited as reasons for this. For example, in the Black Sea, there are currents and commercial waterways. We are confident that the sector, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, has initiated numerous research projects, primarily ecological, to maximise the existing potential. Futurists and industrial strategists will also have something to say on this matter. The future prospects of Turkish salmon, which has gained prominence in recent years, particularly due to its export potential, are discussed in detail at the link https://hasatturk.com.tr/2025/03/turk-somonun-hizli-yukselisi/.
So, what is the world doing in this regard? Let’s take a look: What do you think about the news that Norwegian investors are on the verge of commercialising land-based salmon farming experiments along the Adriatic and Red Sea coasts?
The industry must examine the closed fish farming units being implemented worldwide. These units, with capacities of tens of thousands of cubic metres, could also be suitable for Turkish salmon producers. Norwegian firm Bluegreen is preparing to deploy two units with capacities of 10K (10,000 m³) and 3.5K (3,500 m³) in collaboration with Fishglobe Technologies.
China’s ship, with 150,000 tonnes of capacity, 245 metres in length, 45 metres in width, 15 farming tanks, 4 large pools and 22 experimental pools, has the potential to produce 3,600 tonnes of fish, ushering in a new era in seafood production. Could this method also make Türkiye’s ‘blue economy’ sustainable?
Within the framework of the commercial importance of fish, in 2015, AquAdvantage salmon was registered as the first transgenic animal in the United States. Furthermore, scientific advancements such as molecular biology, genetic engineering, and gene editing (CRISPR/Cas9) used in plant and animal breeding enable the rapid development of plant and animal genotypes that are adaptable to environmental conditions, grow quickly, or are resistant to diseases and pests. Using these methods, known as gene editing-New Breeding Techniques (NBT), freshwater carp will be introduced in Argentina in 2019, and faster-growing tilapia genotypes will be introduced in Brazil in 2025.
Many types of research and development are being conducted in Türkiye. However, in the near future, there will be a need for new fish genotypes and varieties in some areas. However, fish breeding, especially with the introduction of new methods in recent years, requires cooperation between universities, ministries and the private sector. This collaboration, which is inevitable in agricultural research, could be easily resolved by establishing an umbrella organisation such as the ‘Turkish Agricultural Research Institution.’ This should have gained even more importance with France’s launch of a project to produce sea bass in space!
The determination of the sector’s top management and the approach of officials towards issues such as production planning, support programmes, contract production, and loans in the field of aquatic products demonstrate the importance of the issue, indicating that advancements in our fisheries sector will not lag behind global developments.
By Professor Dr. Nazimi Açıkgöz…
