Insufficient rainfall delayed canola germination, forcing many producers in Tekirdağ, Turkey to switch to wheat and sunflower. The drought led to both yield losses and rising production costs.

A dry autumn and winter in Tekirdağ have dealt a heavy blow to local canola producers. Canola seeds sown in September and October failed to germinate on time due to lack of rainfall and later suffered from cold weather. Many farmers had no choice but to plow under their poorly developing canola fields and replant with alternative crops such as wheat and sunflower.

Prof. Dr. İsmet Başer

Prof. Dr. İsmet Başer, Head of the Field Crops Department at Tekirdağ Namık Kemal University, said, “Canola-type crops are vulnerable to cold if sowing is delayed. This year, rainfall was insufficient, but the seeds have been already planted. Since germination failed, a portion of the canola fields were plowed under and replaced with wheat.”

İmdat Saygı

İmdat Saygı, President of the Tekirdağ Chamber of Agriculture, emphasized the financial burden on producers. “Farmers planted canola, but the expected rains never came. In some areas, the canola either failed to germinate or emerged too late. Unsatisfied with crop development, many had to replant the fields,” he said.

Last year, canola was planted on 8,125 hectares across the province.