Cotton cultivation areas decrease by 40%, giving way to imports in Turkey

Sanliurfa is responsible for about 45% of the total cotton production in Turkey. However, cottonseed farmers are shifting slowly from cotton production.

The cotton cultivation lands in Sanliurfa were slightly over 2 million decares whereas the same areas have shrunk to 1.27 million decares, representing almost 40% decrease. The main reason for farmers giving up on cottonseed cultivation is low prices and insufficient government support.

Farmers and producers in Turkey are demanding to have import quotas installed to protect and place the domestic production in a strategic position.