Browse Data and Analysis

Turkey published its Biosafety Law and implementing regulations in 2010. This legislation has continued to disrupt trade and Turkey’s domestic agriculture and food sectors. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is the sole authority for biotechnology approvals. The Ministry approved seven genetically engineered soybean and corn events in 2022.

Owing to favorable growing conditions and ongoing investments to improve on-farm yields, Turkey’s production and export of apples, pears, and table grapes is forecast at or near record levels in MY 2022/23. At least 80 percent of the projected production of these deciduous fruits will be consumed in Turkey, mainly as fresh fruit.

Turkey has a young population of 84 million people fueling consumption of consumer-oriented agricultural products. The country is in a Customs Union with the EU and is the 20th largest economy in the world and the 7th largest agricultural producer.

In MY 2021/22, the orange yield is forecast to increase 40 percent to 1.82 million metric tons (MMT) due to favorable rainy weather conditions in March and April 2021. The input costs for items such as fertilizer, fuel, and pesticides are still considered too high while farm gate prices are too low to compensate for the high production costs.