Competitive analysis of foreign trade of vegetable seed: Case of province of Antalya

Increasing world population and developments such as climate change make food safety important. Therefore, the need for seed is increasing and world seed trade and competition is gaining more importance. Currently, vegetable seed accounts for 20% of the world seed market. 89 of the 251 companies (35%) engaged in the production of vegetable seeds in Turkey is located in Antalya. Antalya represents 12.3% of the Turkey's 2017 export amount of fresh fruit and vegetable (488.947 tons) and 18.5% of the export value ($ 413 million). Agricultural production of Turkey is 384, 48 billion TL and plant production is 158,87 billion TL in 2018 while Antalya is the first with 10,8 billion TL in plant production and takes the third place with 13,4 billion TL agricultural production following Konya and Izmir. Turkey exported 362 tons of vegetable seeds having export value of $ 22,43 million in 2016 respectively of which 22% (81 tons) and 71% ($ 15.97 million) Antalya origin. For this reason, Antalya has been determined as the research area. Survey data were used as the main material of the study. A survey was conducted on face-to-face interviews with 40 of the 52 companies that engaged in foreign trade or production and foreign trade of only vegetable seed in Antalya of which accepted having survey. The main purpose of the research; "To examine the Turkey's status of competition on vegetable seed trade in Antalya Province," Porter's Diamond Model was used as the main research method. As a result of this research, the competition level of the vegetable seed sector in foreign trade was determined as "medium level (3,34p). SWOT and SOR analysis were also performed in the study. As a result of SWOT analysis; weaknesses of the vegetable seed sector are found as insufficient R&D activities for global competition (3.79 p) and unqualified workers (3.55 p) while strengths in seed production (4.05 p) are seen as level of specialization (4.05 p) and innovation activities in production processes (4.05 p). As a result of SOR analysis; the vegetable seed sector is located in the attack (200,25 p) region where the combination of opportunity and threat in the matrix intersects. Accordingly, the sector has the power to continue to grow and make progress by eliminating the weaknesses in the sector with its strong aspects. The capital and financing structure of the sector should be directed towards variety development and breeding activities in order to compete on an international scale. Companies need to concentrate their R&D activities on supplying the seed varieties demanded by the market in order to exist in the global competition. They should direct their vegetable seed production experience to train qualified breeding personnel and workers and to apply advanced breeding methods so as to stay behind innovation activities and not to lose their market share or even to enter new markets. KEYWORDS: Foreign Trade, Diamond Model, Competition Level, Vegetable Seed, SOR, Antalya