Şemsi Bayraktar, president of the Union of Turkish Agricultural Chambers (TZOB), said wheat planting has generally been completed, although it varies from region to region.

In its statement, Bayraktar assessed the start of the 2023-2024 wheat production season.

Bayraktar stated that the 2024 production season for wheat, which is grown on 6.7 million hectares in Turkey, has begun, noting that wheat is a strategic and indispensable product for agricultural areas in Turkey, as in other countries. .

CHANGED BY CLIMATE CHANGE

Bayraktar noted that wheat planting begins at the end of September and continues until the first week of December, although it varies by region, and stated that wheat planting was moved to mid-October due to the change in rainfall regime due to the climate change.

Bayraktar said: “At the end of September, there are almost no farmers left to plant. “This year, rising temperatures coupled with decreased rainfall caused the soil to become drier and changed planting dates from 20 days to 1 month later than normal, varying from province to province.” he said.

Bayraktar stated that according to data they received from agriculture chambers in 50 provinces that produce 93.3 percent of wheat production, farmers who planted on dry soil in some provinces in October had to irrigate and the cost increased. , and said:

“Although it varies from region to region and province to province, wheat planting was generally 50 to 90 percent complete by the end of November. November rains turned into snowfall in some provinces. Heavy rains caused disasters in some provinces. The continuation of the current rains across the country and the possible rains expected in the coming days are important for a productive production season. “We hope that this agricultural year will be a year in which the expected rains occur, there are no droughts or other disasters, sufficient quantities of inputs are used, our farmers earn abundant income, and high-quality, high-yield products are grown.” (AA)