Evaluating the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Sustainability of International Trade in Agricultural Products in the Context of Crisis Management: An Assessment of the Agricultural Product Exporting Sectors in Antalya, Türkiye

This study aims to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the sustainability of international trade in agricultural products through semi-structured, in-depth interviews, focusing on businesses engaged in agricultural product exports in Antalya within the context of crisis management. While Türkiye ranks tenth in the world and first in Europe in terms of agricultural output, Antalya, one of Türkiye’s most economically significant cities, is among the top contributors to Türkiye’s economy in terms of foreign exchange earnings from agricultural product exports. According to the findings of the study, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the importance placed on the sustainability of agricultural product export activities. Türkiye’s prioritization of agricultural production and export has allowed the agricultural sector to positively differentiate itself from other sectors during the COVID-19 pandemic, turning the crisis into an opportunity. On the other hand, disruptions in global supply chains and increases in logistics and transportation costs due to the pandemic have led to various challenges to the sustainability of sector activities. Moreover, the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as increases in global and national inflation rates and particularly rising fuel and product prices, have resulted in sustainability problems in the agricultural product export sector’s activities today. To ensure the sustainability of activities in the post-pandemic period, effective crisis management strategies and planning are needed. However, according to the study’s results, the issue of crisis management in the agricultural product export sector has not received sufficient attention. To raise awareness about crisis management and ensure productivity, competitive advantage, and sustainability, increasing government support, establishing sectoral cooperation for joint action, and fostering collaboration between the private sector, public sector, and universities could be beneficial.