The increase in the volume of foreign trade between Türkiye and MERCOSUR countries in recent years has an important potential. The fact that these countries are economically similar further increases the mutual foreign trade potential. These trade relations are important in terms of economic cooperation and are expected to strengthen the economic interests of countries over time. Both Türkiye and MERCOSUR countries have a high potential in terms of production and foreign trade in agricultural and livestock products. Of course, the fact that countries are members of the World Trade Organization has increased free foreign trade in these sectors. Therefore, in this study, the level of foreign trade specialization in the agriculture and livestock sector after Türkiye and MERCOSUR countries became a member of the World Trade Organization was analysed. In this study covering the years 1995-2022; Net Trade, Export-Import Ratio, Lafay and Michaely indices were used. The findings show that the highest specialization is in Argentina and the lowest in Paraguay. In addition, Türkiye and Brazil have an advantage in numerically similar product groups. Türkiye needs to increase productivity in agriculture to increase the level of specialization in foreign trade.

The majority of farm households in Turkey and especially the Eastern Anatolia are still based on low-input semi subsistence agriculture and livestock production. Despite a slow decline in recent years, agriculture and livestock production remains a major employer in Turkey and it is a significant contributor to the country’s gross domestic product, GDP. Whist Turkey is one of the EU candidate countries, is self sufficient in food production and Turkish agriculture is poorly structured inefficient, with farming in the Eastern Anatolia being mainly subsistence farming. Yet, these traditional rural structures combined with poor access to low level of education and low level of off-farm unemployment problem makes the situation more complicated and unsustainable. The best way to promote sustainability, better and higher production of Eastern Anatolian and rural Turkey is to invest in the local people, villages through improved, continuing and effective agricultural and livestock programs in particular. Investment in human capital especially in the rural areas leads to more employment opportunities through entrepreneurship and innovation in organic agriculture and livestock production. A holistic approach to developing and improving supply chains could unlock the potential for sophisticated, state-of-the-art organic agriculture and livestock producers and businesses in the region to become EU and global players. Eastern Anatolian livestock producers and the farmers have the ambitions to take part in future progress because the region is naturally organic not by design but default. It is for sure that present potential of the region has not been fully determined and utilized. EU has greatly benefited from previous enlargements economically, politically and socially. When European Union (EU) and Turkish Government relations considered and accession of Turkey to EU would be the logical consequence of the previous accessions. The screening on chapter 11 (Agriculture and rural development) is one of the important criteria and Turkey is working on to meet these benchmarks.