Evaluation of sugar factory privatization practices in turkey from the perspective of producers: The case of Kayseri sugar factory-Turhal example

The main objective of this research is to evaluate the privatization process of sugar factories in Turkey, particularly from the perspective of sugar beet producers. Within the scope of the study, sugar beet producers operating in the Turhal Sugar Factory have been examined. According to research findings, it has been determined that the cultivated areas of sugar beets decreased in 43,3% of the enterprises after privatization, within this decrease being more pronounced in small scale farms. This indicated that small farms need to be supported more for their sustainability. When compared to Türkşeker, farms have generally expressed satisfaction with the services provided by the factory after privatization. However, concerns about the factory not being active in the future increase as the scale of farms increases. Although many studies have shown that privatized factories are more efficient and effective, the concern of producers about the activities to private factories has also mentioned in this study. Therefore, it is necessary to address this issue in privatization policies and take measures to ensure the continuity of factory operations. Another important issue is the price of pulp, which is an important by-product for livestock farming. Consequently, in determining pulp prices, consideration should be given the region's livestock potential alonside the market price of pulp.