Organic Agriculture in Turkiye
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Organic Agriculture in Turkiye
Organic Agriculture in Turkiye
Organic agriculture in Turkiye started in the mid-1980s, led by European organic agriculture bodies, as export-oriented production of raisins, dried apricots, dried figs, and hazelnuts under contracted farming. The first organic agriculture application on defined land was run in one Turkish province in 1986. The first organic raisin production project went live in 1986, followed by the first organic fig project in 1987. In institutional and legal terms, Turkiye's organic agriculture sector can be examined in 3 periods.
The three periods:
First period (1984 to 1993): no legal framework. The country was starting to meet organic agriculture practice, and production was run in line with the importing countries' requirements.
Second period (1994 to 2002): regulatory progress was made, and organic agriculture practice grew, particularly in the Aegean region.
Third period: from 2003 to the present. The Organic Agriculture Law was published on 3 December 2004, and the regulation on the principles and implementation of organic agriculture came into force on 10 June 2005.
Over time, the product portfolio expanded. Production and export of dried and shelled fruits, frozen fruits and vegetables, fresh fruits and vegetables, spices, and pulses started. Production and export of rose oil, rose water, olive oil, cotton, and textile products also grew. As organic cotton production grew, the organic textile sector gained ground, and the portfolio was extended to organic baby textiles, towels, home textiles, and bedding. Demand for organic baby clothing, baby food, toys, and baby cosmetics rose domestically, as it has abroad, supported by parents of children aged 0 to 12 months.
According to TUIK data for 2011, including the transition phase, Turkiye had 225 organic product types, 42,460 contracted farmers, 614,618 hectares under organic agriculture, and 1,659,543 tonnes of total production. The number of farmers running organic agriculture in Turkiye has grown each year.
