An analysis of revealed comparative advantages and competitiveness in foreign trade in terms of live animal and vegetable products market: İmplementation in Turkey and Mersi̇n province

In position with the favourable climatic conditions, Turkey has cultivated the potential of animal and vegetable production. The category of herbal products is of particular importance in Turkey's foreign trade. The Middle East, which is Turkey's close neighbor and foreign trade partnership, is also one of the important commercial centers for Mersin. Therefore, 12 countries in the Middle East are identified on the main axis of the research. In the research, calculations are made based on the Revealed Comparative Advantage Index in determining the competitiveness of Turkey and Mersin in the live animal (section 01-05) and vegetable products (section 06-14) sectors against the world and Middle East markets for the period of 2010 and 2019. Therefore, in the study, Turkey and Mersin have advantages and disadvantages product/product groups in the section of live animal and vegetable products against the world and Middle East markets have been revealed. According to the index values got as a result of the study; Turkey has strong index values against the world market in the products of the milling industry; malt; starches; inulin; wheat gluten and edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruit or melons products, and Mersin also has strong index values in edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers, edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruit or melons, edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruit or melons, lac; gums, resins and other vegetable saps and extracts and vegetable plaiting materials; vegetable products not elsewhere specified or included. As a result of the index, the country groups in which Turkey is strong in the Middle East market; Iraq, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait. Mersin has received strong index values in the Middle East market. That the countries of Iraq, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan. Keywords: Foreign Trade, Turkey, Mersin, Middle East, RCA, Competitiveness