09.12.2025 Critical Warnings from Aydın at the TOBB Joint Council Meeting: Fevzi Çondur Calls for Strategic Support for Cotton, Dried Figs and Water Management

The Joint Council Meeting of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) was held in Ankara under the chairmanship of TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, with the participation of Vice President of the Republic of Türkiye Cevdet Yılmaz and broad attendance from council members.

Fevzi Çondur, Vice Chairman of the TOBB Commodity Exchanges Council and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Aydın Commodity Exchange, brought to the agenda the challenges faced in cotton and dried fig production—two of the most important agricultural products of Aydın and Türkiye—along with the deepening drought crisis and related water supply problems threatening agricultural production in the region.

Serious Income and Loss in Cotton Production

Mr. Çondur emphasized that the current support model for cotton is not sustainable for producers, noting that production costs exceed market prices. Mr. Çondur stated that without adequate premium support, producers may abandon cotton farming, as experienced in previous years, which would have serious consequences not only for agriculture but also for related industries such as textiles and oil production. He underlined cotton’s strategic importance for the national economy.

Double Standards in the EU Dried Fig Market

Addressing issues in the dried fig sector, Mr. Çondur highlighted that Aydın is the world’s leading producer of dried figs. However, climate change and extreme drought have increased natural toxin levels in figs, leading to stricter inspections by the European Union on Turkish exports. He pointed out a clear double standard, as similar controls are not applied to products within the EU market. Mr. Çondur called for diplomatic initiatives with EU agricultural authorities and support mechanisms for exporters dealing with returned products, stressing that figs are a key symbol of Türkiye’s agricultural export identity.

Deepening Drought and Urgent Water Management

Mr. Çondur also warned that Aydın has experienced severe meteorological drought in three of the past four years, placing agricultural production at serious risk. Despite significant dam capacity, declining rainfall has limited water availability. He emphasized the urgent need for effective water management and called for the acceleration of the project to transfer water from the Dalaman Stream to the Bozdoğan Kemer Dam, stating that it would significantly strengthen irrigation capacity and agricultural sustainability.

Call for Joint Solutions

In conclusion, Mr. Çondur stressed that the problems faced in cotton and fig production cannot be addressed by producers alone. Rising costs, climate-related risks, international market pressures, and insufficient support mechanisms must be tackled through coordinated action by public authorities, sector representatives and exporters to ensure sustainable production and export growth.