|
 Historically,
the agriculture sector has been Turkey's largest employer and a major
contributor to the country's GDP, exports and industrial growth. However,
as the country has developed, agriculture has declined in importance
relative to the rapidly growing industry and services sectors.
Although
the share of agriculture in the Turkish economy has tended to fall over a
period of several decades due to the increase in industrial and services
sectors, it still accounts for a relatively larger share of total output
and employment than in many other countries. Agriculture's share of GDP
declined from 35 percent in 1970 to 22 percent in 1980 and to 14 percent
in 1999. Crops represent 55 percent of the agricultural sector, livestock
represents 34 percent and the rest comprises forestry and aquaculture.
Turkey
is the largest producer and exporter of agricultural products in the Near
East and North African region. Export of agricultural commodities
(excluding agroindustry) valued at $ 2.4
billion in 1999 and accounted for 9 percent of Turkey's total export
earnings.
 Turkey
has a vast agricultural resource base with significant potential to expand
output, particularly through increased crop yields. In the past, the
government has intervened heavily its agricultural sector through price
supports, input subsidies, import protection, marketing monopolies and
export subsidies and taxes. To increase food self-sufficiency and rural
development, stabilise farmers' incomes, provide adequate nutrition and
affordable food and promote exports have been adopted among government
objectives.
Since
implementing its first structural adjustment program in 1980, Turkey has
developed ongoing series of agricultural policy reforms designed to
privatize markets, to reduce agricultural subsidies, to remove trade
barriers and to integrate Turkey into the global economy. Measures adopted
under the program included currency devaluation, price and trade
liberalization and the opening of financial markets.
Turkey's
structural adjustment program improved agricultural export competitiveness
and increased output and trade, from 1980 to 1999 overall volume of
agricultural production rose by an average of 3 percent per year. Output
and yields of the major agricultural products increased steadily.
During
this period a number of changes occurred. Cultivated land area rose by an
estimated 2.4 million hectar, approximately 14.5 percent. The most intense
change occurred in 1982, when fallow area dropped by 1.6 million hectar
compared to previous year, as a result of large input imports,
particularly seed and fertiliser. In
addition, a strong push in the production and export of pulses tripled the
area devoted to those crops. While overall yields have risen, there were
regional differences in fertility. Field crop yields are usually two to
three times higher in the milder coastal areas (Aegean and Mediterranean
regions) than in the colder and generally drier areas of central and
eastern Turkey.
Trends
in Agricultural Production (1000 Tons)
|
|
1991
|
1992
|
1993
|
1994
|
1995
|
1996
|
1997
|
1998
|
|
CEREALS
|
31068
|
29071
|
31660
|
26934
|
28083
|
29231
|
29650
|
33061
|
|
Wheat
|
20400
|
19300
|
21000
|
17500
|
18000
|
18500
|
18650
|
21000
|
|
Barley
|
7800
|
6900
|
7500
|
7000
|
7700
|
8000
|
8200
|
9000
|
|
PULSES
|
1973
|
1823
|
1946
|
1679
|
1849
|
1832
|
1700
|
1599
|
|
Chickpeas
|
855
|
770
|
740
|
650
|
730
|
732
|
720
|
625
|
|
Lentils
|
640
|
600
|
735
|
610
|
665
|
645
|
515
|
540
|
|
INDUSTRIAL
CROPS
|
16339
|
16095
|
16588
|
13624
|
12294
|
15603
|
19577
|
23130
|
|
Tobacco
|
241
|
334
|
339
|
218
|
204
|
225
|
286
|
250
|
|
Sugar
beet
|
15474
|
15126
|
15621
|
12944
|
11171
|
14543
|
18401
|
21941
|
|
Cotton
lint
|
559
|
574
|
602
|
628
|
837
|
784
|
795
|
858
|
|
OIL
SEEDS
|
1934
|
2061
|
1882
|
1859
|
2367
|
2166
|
2255
|
2355
|
|
Sunflower
|
800
|
950
|
815
|
740
|
900
|
780
|
900
|
860
|
|
TUBER
CROPS
|
6348
|
6452
|
6465
|
6315
|
7785
|
7040
|
7400
|
7720
|
|
Potatoes
|
4600
|
4600
|
4650
|
4350
|
4750
|
4950
|
5100
|
5250
|
|
Dry onions
|
1600
|
1700
|
1650
|
1800
|
2850
|
1900
|
2100
|
2270
|
|
FRESH
VEGETABLES
|
17438
|
17468
|
16819
|
17779
|
18944
|
20216
|
18784
|
21152
|
|
Tomatoes
|
6200
|
6450
|
6150
|
6350
|
7250
|
7800
|
6600
|
8290
|
|
Melons
(inc. watermelons)
|
5700
|
5300
|
4900
|
5100
|
5400
|
5800
|
5550
|
5815
|
|
EDIBLE
NUTS
|
628
|
801
|
598
|
773
|
715
|
729
|
689
|
826
|
|
Hazelnuts
|
315
|
520
|
305
|
490
|
455
|
446
|
410
|
580
|
|
FRESH
FRUITS
|
9401
|
9431
|
10798
|
10500
|
9593
|
9932
|
9928
|
9359
|
|
Table grapes
|
3600
|
3450
|
3700
|
3450
|
3550
|
3700
|
3700
|
3600
|
|
Apples
|
1900
|
2100
|
2080
|
2095
|
2100
|
2200
|
2550
|
2450
|
|
Citrus fruits
|
1696
|
1674
|
1737
|
1878
|
1782
|
1820
|
1433
|
1943
|
|
OLIVES
|
640
|
750
|
550
|
1400
|
515
|
1800
|
520
|
1650
|
|
TEA
(green leaves)
|
683
|
724
|
579
|
654
|
524
|
600
|
752
|
979
|
|
NUMBER
OF HENS (1000)
|
139207
|
152530
|
178260
|
183684
|
129015
|
152957
|
166273
|
236997
|
|
HENS
EGGS (mil)
|
7668
|
8215
|
10006
|
9845
|
10269
|
9787
|
12089
|
13888
|
|
HONEY
|
55
|
60
|
59
|
55
|
69
|
63
|
63
|
67
|
|
NUMBER
OF LIVESTOCK (1000)
|
65176
|
63746
|
59584
|
57111
|
56268
|
55385
|
51126
|
49771
|
|
Sheep
|
40433
|
39416
|
37541
|
35646
|
33791
|
33072
|
30238
|
29435
|
|
Cattle
|
11973
|
11951
|
11910
|
11901
|
11789
|
11886
|
11185
|
11031
|
|
MILK
|
10240
|
10279
|
10406
|
10562
|
10602
|
10761
|
10077
|
9971
|
|
MEAT
| | 
new account 