Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/1506051
60 tobaccoasia Issue 5, 2023 September / October By Thomas Schmid Though many of her peers have struggled enor- mously with tobacco output in recent years due to a plethora of factors ranging from Covid-19 lockdowns to natural disasters and steeply rising production costs, Turkey negotiated her own chal- lenges comparatively comfortably – but not en- tirely unscathed. Like anywhere else, the country has been experiencing a certain level of tobacco farmers shifting to other, less cost-intensive crops. And yet, while some countries suffered crop de- clines of 30% or even more due to a multitude of often overlapping factors, Turkey was spared from the worst. Climbing output figures and new varieties Data provided by Alliance One Tobacco Turkey (AOTT) suggests that, based on total production size in the 2019/20 season of 69,430 tons, the volume across all varieties declined by only about 5% in 2020/21, i.e. the height of the coronavirus pandemic. In 2021/22, the figure slumped by an- other 11%, according to AOTT country manager, Selim Jimi. The situation recovered very slightly Turkish Delight As Turkey's tobacco growing sector has almost returned to normal, the country even saw the introduction of some new varieties hitherto not commercially grown there. in 2022/23, with total production clocking in at +1% above the 2019/20 base reference. And for the 2023/24 season, AOTT projects a further re- covery of +18%. "The 2020 and 2021 crops saw a decline particularly of the oriental varieties," Se- lim Jimi said. "But the Turkish currency devalua- tion coupled with recent contractions of oriental tobacco volumes in neighboring countries had a positive impact in bringing back Turkey's oriental tobacco output to previous levels." In addition, a new government policy introduced tobacco variet- ies that weren't previously grown in the country. "These are sun-cured virginia and semi-oriental types, which are used in domestically sold ciga- rettes," Selim Jimi explained. Upcoming Izmir crop will define level of recovery Meanwhile, another leading global merchant, So- cotab, anticipates that the supply and demand ratio could level out rather evenly once the 2023 Izmir oriental crop is brought in. "If the 2023 Izmir crop ends up being 42,000 tons green, then the market Socotab staff inspecting a field with Izmir oriental saplings. Credit: Socotab