In Turkey, wheat is the most important crop in terms of land area, volume of
production, and monetary value. Despite varied climatic and agro-ecological conditions,
wheat is grown in almost all areas of the country. Although a significant proportion of
wheat produced is used for domestic consumption, it plays a dominant role as a source
of cash accounting; on average, making up to 45% of household income in some areas
where it is grown for market.
Over the last 30 years, wheat production has remained largely stable, in the range
of 16 to 22 million tons, with some annual variations. Wheat area has decreased from
9.3 million hectares in 1988 to 6.8 million hectares in 2019. During the same period,
there has been a 27% increase in the average yield – from 1.88 tons ha-1 to 2.78 tons
ha-1, which has almost fully offset the reduction in total wheat area, leading to only a
slight (7%) reduction in total wheat grain production. In 2019, although Turkey ranked
eleventh in global total wheat production, it was the number one wheat flour and
bourghul exporting country, with a total export of over 3.34 million tons. Turkey is also
a major producer of pasta and related products, with a total production volume of 1.3
million tons in 2016.
The establishment, in the 1930s, of regional agricultural research institutes
responsible for crop improvement, particularly cereals (wheat, barley), and state farms
responsible for production and distribution of seeds of new varieties to farmers, laid
the foundation for an organized seed sector in Turkey. The National Wheat Release and
Training Project that embarked in 1967 contributed to the start of a ‘green revolution’ in
the country, which gained momentum in the 1970s and continued, though at a slower
pace, thereafter. In 1991, the General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies
was established as a central coordinating body of all national agricultural research,
where 12 agricultural research institutes were involved in wheat breeding and research
in different parts of the country representing different agro-ecologies.
From its humble beginning in the 1930s, the wheat seed sector in Turkey has seen
considerable changes over the years. While most of the changes were incremental over
different phases, but sometimes radical, the most important change has been a rapid
expansion in variety registration and certified seed production by the private sector
over the last 20 years. These changes are mainly attributed to the policy changes
and structural transformation that led to the liberalization of Turkey’s seed sector.
Specifically, the Agricultural Law No. 5488 and Seed Law No 5553, both of which were
instituted in 2006, and Law No 5042 for the Protection of Breeders’ Rights of New Plant
Varieties, which was enacted in 2004. These laws introduced a regulatory framework
that encouraged private sector investment in agriculture in general, and the seed sector
in particular.
This book, Political Economy of the Wheat Sector in Turkey: Seed Systems, Varietal
Adoption, and Impacts is a second book in a series (preceded by a similar book focussing
on Morocco and to be followed by another focussing on Uzbekistan). The book series
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was possible through support provided by the CGIAR Research Program on Wheat. This
book compiles the studies conducted on the Turkish wheat sector, focussing mainly on
the seed value chain and covering the entire variety development process –from seed
production and marketing, to varietal adoption and impacts; and is organized as follows.
Chapter 1 highlights the historical developments of the wheat grain and seed sector,
including the policy and regulatory frameworks. Chapter 2 presents the development of
agricultural research institutes and hence, the generation of improved wheat varieties,
while Chapter 3 focuses on varietal release and protection. Chapter 4 presents a
description of the procedures and status of production and commercialization of early
generation seed (elite, original), primarily by the National Agricultural Research System,
and large-scale certified seed by the private and public sectors. Chapter 5 elaborates on
seed quality assurance and certification. Chapter 6 describes the status and identifies
the determinants of adoption, assesses the impacts of improved wheat varieties and
provides estimates of the annual quantities of wheat seed use. Chapter 7 provides a bird’s
eye view of the whole wheat sector in Turkey by synthesizing and establishing linkages
between the achievements, limitations, challenges and opportunities documented in
each of the preceding 6 chapters and makes recommendations for the way forward.
This comprehensive book, where most of the information related to the wheat
sector in Turkey is compiled into one document, is the first-of-its-kind in the country.
Therefore, we believe that it will be a ‘go to’ document and a good reference material
for several years to come. The rich experiences and possible options for mitigating
major challenges that deter the development of the sector documented in this book
are expected to inform key stakeholders – including policymakers, researchers, farmers,
private and public seed companies, and development partners, and by so doing, help in
improving the efficiency of the wheat sector in the country.