COMPETITIVENESS ANALYSIS OF CITRUS AND CITRUS ESSENTIAL OILS USING THE REVEALED COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE (RCA)METHOD

Agricultural products, with a history as long as that of human civilization, are among the earliest traded commodities. Although many new products have entered global value chains over time, agricultural commodities have continued to maintain their importance in trade. Türkiye is one of the countries with significant agricultural production due to its extensive arable land and favorable climatic conditions. One of the products exported by Türkiye, which exports a wide range of agricultural products, is citrus fruits and citrus essential oils. The main objective of this study is to analyze Türkiye's competitive advantage in the global citrus and citrus essential oils market. For this purpose, six-digit HS-code based data for the period 2005–2024 obtained from the International Trade Centre’s Trademap database, were analyzed using Balassa’s Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA) index. The findings indicate that Türkiye possesses a comparative advantage in citrus exports; however, this advantage has shown a declining trend in recent years. In contrast, the results reveal that Türkiye does not possess a comparative advantage in citrus essential oils. The fact that Türkiye ranks fifth in global citrus production yet experiences a trade deficit in citrus essential oils is particularly noteworthy. Considering the sector's high added value potential, the findings indicate that more in-depth studies, particularly in production, are needed in coordination with public institutions, industry associations, and research institutions. Furthermore, future research supported by stakeholder interviews and survey-based data collection methods would provide a more comprehensive understanding of the factors that constrain the sector’s competitive performance.