Browse Data and Analysis

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.

On April 27, 2022, the Turkish Government published new Biosafety Decision approvals for the import of genetically engineered (GE) soybean and corn. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MinAF) approved two new soybean events and two new corn events for feed and cancelled the approvals of three corn events and one soybean event.

In response to an increase in the seasonal sugar beet purchase price, farmers are expected to plant more beets in MY 2022/23. In parallel with expanded plantings, beet sugar production in MY 2022/23 is forecast up year-over-year to 3.1 million metric tons (MMT).

With improved weather conditions, wheat, barley, and rice production are forecast to increase in MY 2022/23. In contrast, corn production is forecast down as farmers switch to other more profitable crops. Overall grain production in MY 2022/23 will be influenced by rising input costs, which the Turkish government is trying to offset with higher support payments for fertilizer and diesel.

Post estimates cattle numbers in 2022 are expected to stagnate with 18 million head, including buffaloes, due to slow population growth rate, low raw milk prices, and an increasing number of cows being sent to slaughter because of high feed prices, despite government incentives.

Turkey’s cotton production in marketing year (MY) 2022/23 is forecast to increase to 925,000 metric tons (MT) (4.2 million bales) based on the assumption that farmers will plant more cotton in response to strong cotton prices. Growing demand for textiles and apparel is expected to push MY 2022/23 cotton consumption higher to 1.9 million MT (8.7 million bales).