Import-Dependent Grain Processing Hubs: The Case of T\"{u}rkiye's Flour Sector

TL;DR

This paper examines the vulnerability of Turkey's flour industry to climate and geopolitical shocks, highlighting the decline of its biophysical autonomy and suggesting policy measures for food security resilience.

Contribution

It introduces the Biophysical Autonomy Ratio (BAR) to quantify the reliance of Turkey's flour sector on imported inputs and analyzes its decline over time.

Findings

Turkey's BAR has decreased, indicating increased reliance on imported grain.

The flour sector has expanded beyond domestic agricultural capacity.

Resilience may be improved by aligning food infrastructure with biological production.

Abstract

International commerce has long been seen as a key way to keep the global food system stable, allowing agricultural surpluses in some areas to compensate for shortages in others. This strategy has led to the rise of highly specialised processing hubs that combine significant industrial capacity with agricultural inputs sourced from throughout the world. T\"urkiye's flour sector -- currently the largest wheat flour exporter in the world -- represents one of the most prominent examples of this model. However, increasing climate variability and geopolitical fragmentation raise important questions regarding the long-term resilience of food systems that rely heavily on imported biological inputs. Recent research shows the growing probability of synchronised crop failures across multiple agricultural regions due to atmospheric circulation anomalies and climate-induced extreme weather events. The assumption that global markets can consistently rebalance supply disruptions through trade is challenged by such events. Using the flour industry of T\"urkiye as a case study, this paper investigates the susceptibility of globally integrated grain processing centres. In order to assess the correlation between the scope of industrial processing and the capacity of domestic agricultural production, we introduce the Biophysical Autonomy Ratio~(BAR). The analysis demonstrates that T\"urkiye's BAR has declined consistently over time, suggesting that its processing sector has expanded beyond the domestic production base. The results suggest that in order to enhance the resilience of the food system in the future, it may be necessary to establish a more precise alignment between biological production systems and industrial food infrastructure. The paper concludes by addressing the policy implications for national food security governance in the context of escalating climate instability.