Change Analysis of Citrus Exports Total Factor Productivity in the Process of Economic Development

Abstract

Today, the agricultural sector continues to be an important sector that provides the financing of economic development, while meeting the food needs of the increasing population. In this context, citrus is a very important crop for the country's economy. This study, the production and export structure of citrus fruits, which constitute an important part of the world's fresh fruit and vegetable production, has been tried to be analysed practically. The study analysis, the countries and country groups included in the Product Report Citrus 2022 report published by the Agricultural Economy and Policy Development Institute (AEPD) were determined as Decision Making Units (DMU). Study data were obtained from AEPD reports. In the study, the economic development process was analysed in terms of total factor productivity on the production-total supply-export-product processing amount data of the citrus sector of the country and country groups in the period of 2012-2022. In the analysis, orange, which is the most produced citrus variety in the world, is taken as a basis to represent the universe. As a result of the study, the countries with increasing technical efficiency change (TEC) are Mexico, Egypt and Türkiye while the countries with increasing technological efficiency change (TC) are EU, Brazil, China, Egypt and South Africa. In the total factor productivity (TFP) results, it was determined that while Mexico, EU, Brazil and Egypt produced increasing productivity, decreased productivity was realized in Türkiye, USA, China, Vietnam and Morocco. Policy recommendations have been developed for each DMU to increase productivity by revealing whether the reasons for the decrease in productivity of the countries with decreasing TFP values are due to TEC or TC. The study was completed with the evaluation of citrus exports on the basis of value and quantity for all DMUs and solutions to the problems of the citrus sector.