The Worldwide Top Product of the Republic of Turkey in Terms of Production and Trade: Hazelnut (1923-1950)

This study deals with hazelnut production and export in Turkey from the early years of the Republic to 1950 and their reflections on economy. The study is limited to and addressed in a single period: hazelnut production and trade in the early period of the Republic (1923-1950). The reflections of hazelnut production and trade in the Republic of Turkey on economy have been evaluated based on numeric data. The source materials of the study are Presidency Republic archive documents and official publications such as Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) proceedings of memorandum, laws, journals of official reports, Republic of Turkey official gazette, and articles from agriculture and economy magazines of the period. The relevant evaluations have been made considering the developments in hazelnut production and trade in Turkey and in the world in that period. The study has found out that Rize and Bor？ka district of Artvin were included in the coverage area of hazelnut production after Giresun, Ordu, and Trabzon pursuant to the law dated 6 February 1924 and numbered 407, which was introduced immediately after the proclamation of the Republic. Hazelnut prices firmed thanks to Hazelnut Agriculture Sales Cooperatives Union (FISKOBIRLIK), which was established on 28 July 1938 with the merger of five cooperatives. Attention was paid to the standardization of hazelnut through regulations concerning the inspection of hazelnut export. The convenience of Turkey’s climate and land conditions for hazelnut production besides the above-mentioned efforts increased the cultivation area, production, and export of hazelnut and made it rank first in the world, thereby making considerable contributions to the national economy