The processes for creating value in natural food production in contemporary Turkey

Abstract

Turkey has a niche market based on healthy food consumption that has expanded over the last two decades. This has set the ground for a third sector, the noncertified natural food production that is separate from Certified Organic (CO) and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP). This study examines the value creation mechanisms in Turkey’s natural food production, revealing that women’s knowledge and labor and various discursive strategies appear as the fundamental elements for creating value in the sector. I argue that the creation and dissemination of a particular discourse about natural foods are just as significant as the material production of such food in creating value and accumulating capital. While material production is realized by appropriating women’s labor and knowledge, discursive production is achieved by romanticizing the past. This study is based on empirical data retrieved from a private-run farm located in the Nazilli district of Aydın, Turkey. I conduct in-depth interviews with the owner of the farm and the employees from diverse hierarchical positions. This study is also based on a basic content analysis of the narratives that circulate on the farm’s webpage and email group for trust-building.