Economic development and agriculture in Ankara
Economic Development in Ankara
Before the Republic, Ankara was a 30.000 population city around Kaletepe and surroundings. Main economic resources were stock-breeding and agriculture, and trade was limited to the exchange of products of such activities. During the first years of the Republic, a “dense period” started. In order to build a city which can serve as a Capital, intensive lower and upper structural activities started and activated the commercial life. Then, some small workshops started manufacturing structural materials. After 1923 Governmental Industrial Organizations such as MKE, Sümerbank and Etibank were founded and they built their factories in Ankara. Foundations of small subcontractor companies encouraged migration to Ankara. Thus industrialization and population explosion enhanced each other. Today Ankara is mentioned among industry oriented cities in terms of economical activities.
Ankara Askeri Elektronik Sanayi (ASELSAN) Macunköy Foundations
When evaluated by the number of workshops in years, decreases in subdivisions and total number can be seen resulting from the economic applications and unification of companies. Number of workshops employing 10-24 workers decreased to 329 in1993 from 349 in 1988. Number of workshops employing 25 or more workers decreased to 280 in1993 from 297 in 1988. Most of the workshops employing more than 10 workers are seen in metal furniture, machinery and equipment industries. Among them the majority is big companies employing 25 or more workers. Another popular industry is the food industry in the private sector. In this sector most of the companies employ 10-24 workers.
Wood and furniture industry of Ankara has a great importance in Turkey. Timber merchants, carpenters, furniture makers, lacquerers and upholsterers produce in Siteler in more than 13.000 workshops. Siteler was partly built in 1962 by an Office Building Cooperative founded in1955. 10 more cooperatives were founded later on and this caused a big development. There are many offices and showrooms in Siteler.
At the beginning of the Republic there were very few industrial foundations like beer factory (1925), cement factory (1926) and gunpowder factory (Elmadağ) . Recently the number and kinds of industrial establishments have increased. Now there are pasta, flour, vegetable oil, milk product, sugar, beer, cement, tractor, agricultural machinery, engine, paint, brick, forest products, furniture, metal goods, and textile industries in Ankara. Some important defense industries are also built in Ankara. Tusaş Aerospace Industries, Inc., TAI, is the biggest of these. TAI was founded in 1984 as a Turkish-American joint venture. Its shareholders are TUSAŞ-Turkish Aircraft Industries (49%), Lockheed (42%), General Electric Technical Services Company, Inc. (7%), Foundation of Strengthening Turkish Army (1.9%) and Turkish Aviation Authority (0.1%).
Machinery and metal industry with the influence of defense industry has a significant place, having 40% of the industrial foundations, in industry of Ankara. Defense industry, with qualified manpower and the potential in it, has created big companies in Ankara; FMC-Nurol Defense Industries, Inc., Aremsan Electric Machinery Industry and Trade Ltd., Barış Electric Industry, Inc., Roketsan, Inc., and Marconi Communication, Inc.
Some of the industries in Ankara are unique in Turkey in terms of their fields. Ball bearings, serial gear production, morphine and dialysis equipment are produced only in Ankara.
Ball bearing and diesel engine productions are made by Turkish-German, defense products are made by Turkish-American joint ventures.
Other fast growing sectors in Ankara are construction, furniture and textile. Recent developments have changed Ankara from being a city of officers, trade and agriculture to an industrial city.
Agriculture in Ankara
Agriculture has a significant place in economical activities in Ankara. In 927 residential units, 68.512 out of 85.069 individuals deal with agriculture and/or stock-breeding. Among these 3.026 deals with stock-breeding only.
6.554.775 dekars ( 1 dekar = 1000 sq. m.) out of 22.224.630 dekars of residential lands are used for agriculture. 5.934.299 dekars can be irrigated.
5.990.967 dekars are used for crop production, 3.487.000 dekars for wheat, 1.368.690 dekars for barley and 1.023.790 dekars for other products.
In 373.834 dekars various vegetables like tomato, melon, water melon, bean and cucumber are grown.
Stock-breeding, which has a significant role in the economy, seems to be receding. There are 303.000 cattle, 7-8.000 water buffaloes, 1.276.000 sheep and 345.117 Angora goats in Ankara.