Neo-liberal transformation of agriculture in Turkey? a case study with olive producers in Ayvalık

Abstract

Based on a close study of the olive sector in Turkey, this thesis demonstrated how neo-liberalism consists of contested political processes. Recognizing the uneven and multi-dimensional character of neo-liberalism as a political economic project, this thesis narrates the political contestations in the implementation of neo-liberalism in the olive sector by taking into consideration the experiences of Turkish olive producers of different scales in the Ayvalık region, which is Turkey's olive production and marketing center. Focusing on various neo-liberalization processes, such as privatization, commercialization, commodification and liberalization, and analyzing the positions and statements of a wide range of actors (olive producers, cooperatives, unions, politicians, etc.), this thesis discusses three politically contested issues in the olive sector in order to illustrate the extent to which neo-liberalization is occurring on the ground. First, the process of privatizing and commercializing the Olive and Olive Oil Cooperative - Tariş is looked at. Next, the contestations surrounding the Domestic Processing Regime (DIR) regulation in encouraging or discouraging the liberalization of the olive trade are explored. Last, the different modalities of commodification in the olive groves are taken into consideration based on the ongoing political contestations between the stakeholders in both the olive and mining sectors, as well between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the olive stakeholders. On each occasion, various stakeholders have systematically contested these neoliberalization pressures proving once again that neoliberal transformation in Turkey is far from homogenous and is highly contextual.