Evaluation of liquid organic and mineral sourced fertilizer market in TR 71 Rgion-Türkiye

This study was conducted to evaluate the liquid organic and mineral (LOM) fertiliser market in the TR71 Region of Türkiye by private sector companies selling these products. The study was conducted by administering face-to-face survey questionnaires to 89 private sector companies selling liquid organic and mineral fertilisers in the provinces of Aksaray, Kırıkkale, Kırşehir, Nevşehir, and Niğde within the TR71 Region. According to the records of the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry in the TR71 Region, a total of 262 companies selling liquid organic and mineral fertilisers were identified. The sample size was selected using the purposive sampling method from the non-random sampling approach to constitute at least 1/3 (33.33%) of the total population. In the study, survey question forms were developed to assess the general socio-economic conditions of the companies, as well as their perspectives on the liquid organic and mineral fertiliser market from both the seller and producer sides. Within this scope, a SWOT analysis was used to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the LOM fertiliser market. In conclusion, the most notable strengths of the LOM fertiliser market can be summarised as ease of use, time savings, easy access to raw materials and high profit margins. These strengths, combined with opportunities such as low production costs, an easy licensing process, product diversity and market expansion potential, create a significant competitive advantage. Counterfeit products, inconsistent quality standards, improper use, lack of label information, and unregulated production are the most significant weaknesses of the sector. The prevalence of counterfeit products poses a threat to the reputation of existing brands, but the most significant threat is the potential risks to human and environmental health. To ensure sustainable growth in the sector, it is recommended that oversight mechanisms be strengthened and that digitalisation be leveraged in this regard. Additionally, it is important to raise awareness among producers who use such products through educational programmes. Key Words: Fertilizer sector, Sector and trend analysis, Liquid organic and mineral sourced fertilizer, TR 71 Region