Chickpeas

The products that make up the legumes are one of the food groups that have been cultured by people since the early ages and are of great importance in human nutrition. Legumes containing high crude protein are especially rich in essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. In the world and Turkey, legumes occupy the first place in the cultivation of field crops in terms of cultivation area and production, followed by edible legumes.

It is known that chickpea farming was being done 7000 years ago in the Middle East. The center of production and consumption of chickpeas is the Mediterranean region and the Indian peninsula. In Anatolia, the use of chickpeas as the food was first introduced in BC.

Production and Export in Turkey

According to the data, legumes are grown in approximately 4.45% of the agricultural areas processed every year in Turkey. Chickpea production constituted 48.5% of the total legume production amount.

Thanks to the support programs implemented in the last five years, chickpea production has increased. In addition, reasons such as an increase in cultivation areas, climatic conditions, productivity, and level of agricultural mechanization were effective in the increase in production.

Turkey’s chickpea export increased by 6% in 2020 compared to the previous year and reached approximately 135 thousand tons. Turkey’s highest exports in 2020 were to Pakistan, 22.5%, to Italy 7.9%, and to Israel 6.7%.

Turkey’s chickpea export has increased approximately five times in the last five years. Thanks to the increased production of chickpeas, the country has become a net exporter. Although the increase in the number of chickpea exports in Turkey is important in terms of increasing Turkey’s share in the international market, its effect on the domestic market balances should also be monitored, and precautions should be taken when necessary.