Agriculture

Despite declines in the agriculture sector’s share of GDP since the early 2000s, Turkey still has prominent enough resources and the right climate for agriculture to be a leading sector of the economy. Turkey is the world’s seventh-biggest agricultural producer. While production is somewhat restrained by GMO regulations, the country remains ahead of EU competitors in this regard and is the Middle East’s biggest food exporter. Turkey attracts agricultural investment, with the significant potential for small-scale farms to consolidate on the back of the government’s investment plans. While agriculture’s contribution to the economy is still not ideal, because of trade- and production-distorting measures, with continued research and development there is substantial room to improve efficiency and output. The agriculture chapter has an interview with Recep Konuk, the President and Chairman of Konya Şeker.