In Turkey, the use of Plant Protection Products (agricultural pesticides) began after the Second World War, in 1950. Until 1958, pesticide use was mainly guided by the recommendations of multinational companies. In 1958, following the enactment of the Plant Protection and Quarantine Law No. 6968, the procedures and principles for the use of agricultural pesticides (PPPs) in the country were first established by the newly formed “General Directorate of Plant Protection and Quarantine.” The first licensing process also began with this law. The foundations of Turkey’s domestic and national PPP industry were laid with the introduction of the “Exemplar Licensing System” established by this structure. TİSİT presents this history to all agricultural stakeholders through its publication titled “The Birth of Domestic and National Plant Protection Industry in Turkey.”

In the early years, the sector was dominated by multinational companies that developed pesticide active ingredients. As the domestic PPP production industry gradually developed and strengthened, alternative locally produced PPP products began to emerge in the domestic market. This created the desired competition in the market, leading to lower PPP prices for farmers and rural communities. In addition to the newly established PPP production facilities in the country, firms that produced important active ingredients for PPPs (15 in total) also began to be established during this period.

However, starting in the 1980s, after research confirmed that some of the active ingredients in use were harmful to human and environmental health, these active ingredients began to be banned worldwide, including in Turkey (e.g., DDT, BHC, HEPTACHLOR, etc.). Following these organochlorine active ingredients, other active substances, particularly organophosphates, were also withdrawn from use in agriculture due to their harmful effects on human and environmental health.

On the other hand, with the introduction of new legislation in the EU (1991), all active ingredients in use in EU countries were re-evaluated periodically based on criteria such as human and environmental health. As a result, many of these active ingredients were banned in the EU. Since Turkey aspired to become a member of the EU, it began to phase out these active ingredients, which had been banned in the EU, from use in the country as well. It is important to note that most of these substances, whose patent period had expired, were the active ingredients used by domestic and national PPP companies in Turkey. As of March 2023, the number of PPP active ingredients banned in Turkey reached 217. This number does not include active ingredients banned before 2000. As a result, it is a fact that Turkey’s domestic PPP industry has been negatively affected by these developments. However, TİSİT and its members have always supported the discontinuation of the use of PPP active ingredients that have been proven harmful to the environment and human health and will continue to support this stance. Commercial interests are never a concern in this matter! TİSİT’s unwavering commitment to this ethical stance continues to this day.