WTO urges Turkey to liberalise its agriculture

14 October 1998

WTO urges Turkey to liberalise its agriculture

THE World Trade Organisation (WTO) has urged Turkey to further reform its agricultural industry.

Turkey had derived considerable benefits from implementing structural economic reforms to comply with the customs union with the European Union.

But a WTO report says that Turkeys current robust growth may be unsustainable without further reforms in services and agriculture.

State support for Turkish agriculture almost doubled between 1994 and 1997 to reach 7.5% of gross domestic product (GDP).

Agriculture employs nearly half of Turkeys workforce but contributes only 14% of GDP.