Forage Crops and Compound Feed Production in Turkey

Abstract

The sufficient production of roughage and compound feed is crucial for the nutrition of animals. Additionally, feed expenses constitute a significant portion, approximately 70%, of livestock farming activities. Although there has been an increase in the production of forage crops in Turkey over the years, the self-sufficiency rate for roughage remains at around 60-70%. In the production of compound feed, a significant portion of the raw material requirement is met through imports. In fact, in 2022, the import of compound feed and feed ingredients resulted in a trade deficit of 5 billion US dollars. It is essential for Turkey to prioritize policies that focus on self-sufficiency, enabling the country to feed its livestock population. In order to meet the need for roughage, the production of forage crops should be increased, and for this, agricultural supports that have not experienced significant changes in unit prices in recent years should be reviewed. In addition, there is a need to increase the grazing capacity and yields by improving the pastures, summer pastures and winter pastures. To reduce the dependency of the compound feed sector on imports, priority should be given to policies that aim to increase the production of important feed ingredients such as grains and oilseed crops. While formulating these policies, it is important to consider international competitive conditions and adopt production planning and support policies that do not create issues in the supply of feed crops and other strategic products.