Erzurum’s sunflower output rises tenfold in five years

Production reaches 36,000 tonnes

Sunflower production in Türkiye’s eastern province of Erzurum has increased tenfold in five years, supported by wider access to irrigation, greater mechanization and the crop’s strong market value. The province now accounts for an estimated 11% of Türkiye’s sunflower production, according to Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Director Alpaslan Kenger.

Figures from Türkiye’s Agricultural Information System show that the area planted with sunflower expanded from 21,000 decares in 2021 to 115,000 decares in 2026. Over the same period, production rose from 3,600 tonnes to 36,000 tonnes. Milliyet and Hürriyet reported the figures from an Anadolu Agency interview with Kenger.

More farmers shift acreage to sunflower

The number of farmers growing sunflower in Erzurum increased from 980 in 2021 to 3,210 in 2026. The rise indicates that production growth has come not only from larger planted areas but also from broader participation among the province’s agricultural businesses.

Erzurum has traditionally had extensive farming and livestock activity. In recent years, newly available irrigation capacity and increased use of agricultural machinery have made sunflower cultivation more practical. Kenger also identified the product’s high market value as a reason farmers have allocated more land to the crop.

Irrigation remains central to further growth

Sunflower is an irrigated crop, making water infrastructure a central factor in Erzurum’s expansion. Kenger said irrigation facilities progressively commissioned by Türkiye’s State Hydraulic Works had contributed to the increase in sunflower acreage. He expects production to continue growing as the amount of irrigable land rises.

The province’s share of Turkish sunflower output increased from 2.23% in 2021 to 11% in 2026, according to Kenger. That gain gives Erzurum a more significant position in the country’s oilseed supply base and increases the province’s relevance to processors and buyers sourcing domestic sunflower seed.

Harvest supervision and wider crop gains

Officials are also expecting stronger harvests for cereals and pulses than in previous years. During the ongoing cereal harvest, yields per decare were running about 20%-25% above earlier seasons, Kenger said. No separate production volumes were provided for those crops.

During the harvest period, the provincial agriculture directorate has deployed 23 staff members in 10 teams, using 10 vehicles to inspect combine harvesters in the field. Kenger described Erzurum’s soils as clean, fertile and largely free from diseases and pests, conditions that have supported increases in both sunflower acreage and output. The scale of the five-year expansion means future performance will depend increasingly on irrigation availability, field management and the market returns that initially encouraged farmers to switch acreage.