Experts state that precautions should be taken to prevent the risks brought on by drought and irregular precipitation on wheat production in Türkiye, noting that more focus should be placed on climate-friendly agricultural techniques and digitization.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, wheat and the wheat-based food industry are increasingly subject to competition both in the domestic market and in the world markets, while droughts in Türkiye in most of its largest cities are one of the factors that hinder the increase in production.
Speaking with Anadolu Agency (AA) about the effects of climate change on wheat production, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) agricultural specialist Fazıl Düşünceli said that apart from the increase in input prices such as fertilizer and energy, frequent dry seasons and irregular precipitation during the season are an important problem faced by farmers.
Noting that long-term wheat production should be done within the scope of the system, Düşünceli also pointed out the importance of including other plants such as legumes and forage plants to ''increase productivity and minimize the risks arising from production and climate."
Elaborating on cultivated areas in Türkiye, which have decreased from 8 million hectares to 7 million hectares in the last 10 years, Düşünceli listed the possible reasons as socioeconomic, farmers' preference for more income-generating products and the fact that some producers switched to irrigated corn cultivation.
Stating that there is a serious drought in different parts of central Anatolia due to the low snowfall in winter months, Düşünceli noted that the amount of precipitation in spring will be the determining factor for wheat production.
"If we think about Türkiye in general, we are lucky that we have very diverse geographies. If there is a problem in one region, it is possible to compensate for it in other regions. I do not foresee that there will be a reason to panic for now but in the coming weeks and months, it will be important to monitor both the precipitation and the development status of the product in the field. I think it is necessary to observe and take measures accordingly,” Düşünceli explained.
Emphasizing the importance of reducing the costs in production, the expert pointed out that directly planting seeds without soil tillage can prevent a significant amount of cost while also preventing erosion of the ground and saving energy.
FAO Deputy Representative for Türkiye Ayşegül Selışık, on the other hand, said that the "Supply Chain Analysis for the Turkish Wheat Industry: Establishing a Resistant Food System" project was established within the scope of the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals Joint Fund Development Emergency Modality program and that within this scope, they held workshops in Gaziantep and Tekirdağ.
Selışık stated they believe the studies and observations made within the scope of the project, carried out jointly with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, will be beneficial in producing new solutions when it comes to farmers concerned about drought.
She added that the report to be prepared as a result of field meetings with the components of the representatives from the wheat sector will provide a picture of the sector, and a road map will be created for the sector to become more resilient in the light of the policy proposals to be made.
Professor Erdoğan Güneş from Ankara University's Faculty of Agriculture highlighted the importance of increasing the quality of raw materials. Güneş also noted that there was a loss of around 8%-10% in the process from production to consumption of wheat through different stages of production such as storage, transportation and processing and that a solution should be sought in order to minimize this waste.
Explaining that wheat production maintains the traditional structure but uses more modern systems in large areas, Güneş emphasized that the biggest obstacle to using agricultural practices that will reduce the use of water and electricity is the high initial investment costs, but once these systems are installed, the systems will protect both the environment and the farmer's pocket.
"If you go to South Korea, for example, in the production of leeks, there are systems that can use solar energy to obtain environmentally friendly products and to minimize electricity, that is, to reduce costs. We have to follow them," he added.
Reiterating that Türkiye is the leader in flour and pasta exports in the world, Güneş emphasized it is important to increase the value of the product by developing marketing strategies at this stage.
