Climate change, invasive species threaten Türkiye’s agriculture

Climate change and invasive species are threatening production in Türkiye’s agriculture sector, posing risks especially to cash crops, such as olive, hazelnut and pistachio. The latest numbers from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) showed that the country’s citrus production increased, while there was a steep decline in olive, hazelnut, pistachio and cotton production. Last year, the country’s olive production plunged 49 percent, while the declines in pistachio and hazelnut were 26.4 percent and 15 percent, respectively. One of the main reasons for the drop in production is climate change, according to experts. Drought, frost and invasive species all impacted the yield of crops, they said, calling for urgent actions before the situation worsens. “Climate change is one reason. Temperatures in winter months are some 5 to 6 degrees Celsius above the averages but we also face risks from frost from March to mid-April,” said Atakan Akça from the Trabzon Chamber of Agriculture, ...