How TÜRKTED is driving innovation, overcoming challenges, and strengthening Türkiye’s position in the global seed market.
The main crops in the Turkish seed sector include cereals, particularly wheat and barley, as well as industrial crops such as cotton, maize, sunflower, and potatoes, along with various vegetables. There are over 1.000 seed companies in the country which can be roughly divided into three types: international, national and joint ventures. The total arable area is around 23 million hectares with 7 million hectares of wheat and 1,5 million hectares of barley.
Growth and Challenges for the Turkish seed sector
The Turkish seed sector has been growing steadily. For example, if we look at the total amount of certified seed produced, in 2002, the amount was 142.000 tonnes, which has grown to just over 1.3 million tonnes in recent years.
In terms of challenges, we can mention the availability of sound financial support, not enough R&D in some species, especially on some vegetable diseases or on tolerance to some challenging climatic conditions e.g. cold and drought.
On the other hand, the Turkish seed sector has some very important advantages.
Türkiye’s climate is suitable and favourable for certified seed production of all species, especially hybrid maize, hybrid sunflower and cotton. It has a very well trained and experienced technical staff, and geographically and logistically it is possible to reach 40% of the seed markets in the world with a four-hour flight.
The focus of the Turkish seed sector is on increasing the R&D capacity of the private sector, more investment in the seed sector, using new techniques, and informing the public better about the seed sector.
Biotechnology and Farm Saved Seed
With regards to GM cultivation, our country has a biosafety law (No. 5977), which regulates the biosafety issues. It is forbidden to grow and consume GM crops in Türkiye. In terms of the gene-editing techniques, I can share that these are pretty new techniques, and we are just following the developments in the world. We also fully realize that the use of CRISPR-CAS is about to increase.
Most of the farms in Türkiye are small with the average farm size of around five hectares, therefore most of the farmers use farm saved seeds within the limits allowed.
The Association TÜRKTED
TÜRKTED is a non-profit, independent association and membership is voluntary. It was established in 1985, celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. The structure of the association is very similar to the International Seed Federation (ISF), with a management board, a general secretariat and working groups. There is a Secretary-General and his assistants. There are 51 voluntary members that are responsible for approximately 75% of the total amount of certified seed produced and more than 80% of the seed export from Türkiye. The association represents all crops, including potatoes, grasses and strawberries but not ornamentals.
Representation and Support
TÜRKTED represents its members at the national level in all aspects of the seed sector, collaborating with the Ministry of Agriculture and other players in the sector towards harmonisation of the rules and regulations and formulation of seed policies. We act as a bridge between our members and the ministry and partners, including international organisations. We would like to see the Turkish seed sector as a leading sector in our region and well represented at the international level with increased cooperation and seed trade with other seed sectors.
Our association works closely with the ministry in solving the problems of our members. We inform our members regularly about the developments in the area of seed and plant breeding. TÜRKTED publishes a magazine called TOHUM, which means seed in Turkish, twice a year and distributed to all members and players in the sector, free of charge.
Major successes
Türkiye changed its seed policies in 1984, allowing the free formation of seed prices in the market and allowing international seed trade. These two major policy changes have opened the way to establish private seed companies and TÜRKTED was founded in 1985 by these private companies. Since then, TÜRKTED has played an important role in every cornerstone of seed sector developments, such as memberships to ISF, Euroseeds, the Asia Pacific Seed Association (APSA), International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The association was also instrumental in the implementation of the UPOV 1991 Convention and accreditation of ISTA seed testing and OECD variety registration and seed certification schemes. But also, in the implementation of seed support schemes, and the preparation and implementation of Seed law 5553 etc.
We also represent our members in international congresses and meetings. TÜRKTED has organised a very successful ISF World Seed Congress (WSC) in 2009 in Antalya. TÜRKTED and TSÜAB will organise the 2025 ISF WSC in İstanbul and TÜRKTED and TÜRKTOB (Turkish Seed Union) will organise the APSA Seed Congress in Antalya, Türkiye in 2026.
