Tea Cultivation and Tea Policies in the Republic of Turkey (1923-1960)

Türkiye Cumhuriyeti’nde Çay Yetiştiriciliği ve Çay Politikaları (1923-1960)

Abstract

This study deals with tea cultivation and tea policies in Turkey from the early years of the Republic to 1960 and the reflections of these policies on economy. The study is limited to and addressed under two periods: tea cultivation activities in Turkey in the early years of the Republic (1923-1950) and tea cultivation activities in Turkey in the period of the Democratic Party (DP) (1950-1960). Tea cultivation and tea policies in the Republic of Turkey and the reflections of these policies on economy have been evaluated based on numeric data. The source materials of the study are Prime Ministry Republic archive documents and official publications such as Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) proceedings of memorandum, laws, journals of official reports, Republic of Turkey official gazette, and articles from economy and agriculture magazines of the period. The relevant evaluations have been made considering the developments in tea cultivation in Turkey and across the world in the periods mentioned. The study has found out that important steps were taken in the field of tea production with the Law no 407 accepted on 6 February 1924, just after the proclamation of the Republic, and Tea Law dated 27 March 1940 and numbered 3788. Tea production gained acceleration thanks to Prime Minister İsmet İnönü’s visit to Rize in 1935 and the efforts of Muhlis Erkmen and Şevket Raşit, the ministers of agriculture, and Zihni Derin. Production turned into mass production as Rize Tea Factory came into operation in 1947. In the DP period, new legal regulations were introduced about tea and the funds appropriated for tea expenses from the budget led to an increase in the number of tea factories and workshops every passing year. In addition, production was extended to Trabzon, Giresun, Artvin, and Ordu provinces besides Rize. In this way, tea made significant contributions to the national economy.

Özet

(ORCID: 0000-0001-7478-3149)Kastamonu Üniversitesi – Kastamonu