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.

Many Turkish cattle farmers are struggling to make ends meet because input costs, especially feed, are increasing at a faster pace than farmgate prices for carcass meat and milk. As a result, many farmers are cutting their losses and sending their animals to slaughter earlier than normal. This trend is expected to continue into 2023 as economic conditions in the country remain bleak.

This report focuses specifically on Turkey’s production of sultana raisins, which are a dried seedless grape variety indigenous to the Aegean region of Turkey and are grown mostly in the regions of Manisa, Izmir, and Denizli.

The total cherry production forecast in Turkey in Marketing Year (MY) 2022/23 is 980,000 metric tons (MT), which is 14 percent more than MY 2021/2022, due to the favorable weather conditions and improved yields this year. The peach and nectarine production forecast for MY 2022/23 is 940,000 around six percent more than MY 2021/22, again due to no frost damage and enough rainfall for this year's crop.