ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY OF SUNFLOWER PRODUCTION IN THRACE REGION OF TURKEY

The aim of this paper is to analyse economic sustainability of sunflower production of farmers by comparing farm size, input use level, productivity and gross margin in the Thrace region of Turkey. To reach this aim the primary data were collected by survey with farmers whose main activity was sunflower production in the Thrace region. Edirne, Kirklareli and Tekirdag provinces were selected for representing the region and 80 survey were done by pollsters. The farms were separated in 3-size groups as to its sunflower area sown as small, middle, big farms. According to research results, it was found that wheat-sunflower crop rotation was made by all farms and gross margin in wheat production was higher than sunflower. Sustainability for sunflower production in this region does not depend only on economic parameters, but also on farmer attitudes, necessity of crop rotation and institutional infrastructure.