ANKARA, TURKEY — Turkish oilseeds production is forecast to increase in marketing year 2024-25 over the previous year as larger soybean, sunflowerseed and cottonseed crops are anticipated due to favorable growing conditions, according to a report from the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) of the US Department of Agriculture.

The Global Agricultural Information Network report said a 12% increase in total oilseeds production, to 3.1 million tonnes, is projected.

“This increase in production is attributed to strong domestic demand for oilseeds and their respective byproducts, continued government support to farmers, and assumes favorable weather conditions throughout the crop year,” the FAS said.

The FAS noted that the Turkish government continues to make payments to farmers in incentivize oilseed production. A production premium is paid based on the amount produced, and a separate area-based payment is made to offset rising fuel and fertilizer costs, the report said.

Sunflowerseed production is seen increasing by 8% to 1.675 million tonnes to meet rising consumption demands, which are expected to increase to 2.4 million tonnes, up 300,000 tonnes from the previous year, the FAS said. Imports also are forecast to increase by 175,000 tonnes to 775,000.

The FAS projects a slight increase in soybean output with a 10,000-tonne increase to a record 150,000 tonnes. Turkey remains highly dependent on soybean imports to meet its consumption needs, which are forecast to reach 3.2 million tonnes in 2024-25.