A Descriptive Analysis of Five-Year Strategic Legume Production Dynamics in Turkey (2020-2024): Trends in Area, Yield, and Production for Dry Beans and Vetch

Abstract

This study analyzes the production dynamics of two critical legume species in Turkey's agricultural production pattern-dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and vetch (Vicia spp.)-for the 2020-2024 period, using high-resolution panel data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK). The research examines indicators such as Sown Area, Harvested Area, Yield (kg/da), and Production Quantity (ton), with vetch further disaggregated by green fodder and seed production purposes and by Common, Hungarian, and Other species. Findings reveal a general contraction trend in the sown area for all products and species during the five-year period. The decrease of over 60% in the sown area for Other Vetch species is particularly noteworthy. In contrast, the increase in dry bean yield to 304 kg/da in 2024 and the rise in Hungarian vetch seed yield from 128 kg/da in 2020 to 204 kg/da in 2024 may suggest positive impacts from improvements in production technologies and adaptation strategies. The negligible difference (<0.5%) between Sown Area and Harvested Area suggests no significant area loss occurred during the production processes. This study documents the structural transformation of strategic legume production under climatic and economic pressures and emphasizes the importance of area-based productivity increase for developing sustainable production policies, providing evidence crucial for evidence-based agricultural policy formulation.