The Socioeconomic Dimension of Chestnut-Based Utilization within the Scope of Regional Differences

Abstract

In this study, Turkey's chestnut production and trade potential have been revealed and the socioeconomic dimension of benefiting from chestnuts has been evaluated comparatively on the basis of regional differences. Chestnut, which is used as wood raw material and non-wood forest product, is an important source of income and food. In this sense, the traditional ecological knowledge that has been passed from generation to generation for centuries has provided the formation of an ancient culture on benefiting from chestnut. The economic value created by utilizing the wood and fruit of the chestnut, which is widely distributed in the regions having different ecological characteristics in Anatolia, has resulted in the application of different management approaches. There are five different periods in which the amount of chestnut production varies in Turkey. Aydın, İzmir, Sinop, Kastamonu and Bartın are the provinces that become prominent in chestnut production of Turkey. The degree of self-sufficiency of chestnut was realized 122.7%, with the highest degree of self-sufficiency from 2015 to 2020, in the marketing year 2018-2019. It is seen that the geographical indication protection is increasingly used for chestnut. Aydın Chestnut, Buldan Chestnut, Simav Chestnut, Sinop Chestnut Honey, Düzce Chestnut Honey and Şile Chestnut Honey are the products that received geographical indication protection. In addition, Aydın Chestnut is one of the geographically indicated products whose registration processes have been completed in Turkey with the European Union.