The impact of cotton sector in Türkiye on the Turkish economyand its global competitiveness

Cotton is one of the most important raw materials of the global textile industry with its large cultivation areas and high commercial value. Productivity and cost factors in agricultural products are among the factors that directly affect the international competitiveness of cotton production. Production, consumption and foreign trade dynamics play a strategic role in the economic decision-making processes of countries. In order to achieve sustainable competitive advantage in the cotton sector, productivity increase and support policies are of great importance. In this study, Turkey's global competitiveness in the cotton sector is analyzed within the framework of production processes, foreign trade performance and comparative advantages. To assess the country's export compeririveness in cotton, The Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA), Relative Export Advantage (RXA) and Symmetric Revealed Comparative Advantage (RSCA) indices were utilized. Meanwhile, The Relative Import Penetration Index (RMP) and Relative Trade Advantage Index (RTA) were employed to evaluate the country's import competitiveness in the cotton sector. The finding indicate that Turkey has periodically held a competitive advantage in the cotton sector. However, factors such as production costs, the effectiveness of agricultural subsidies and fluctuations in global markets pose risks to the sustainability of this advantage. the sustainability of this advantage is at risk due to production costs, the effectiveness of agricultural incentives and global market fluctuations. In order for Turkey to increase its competitiveness in the cotton sector, cost factors in production need to be optimized, support policies need to be activated and modern technologies need to be disseminated. It is critical to adopt long-term and sustainable strategies to strengthen the sector in global markets.