Aquaculture Competitiveness of China, Norway and Türkiye: Revealed Comparative Advantages and Product Mapping

The aquaculture sector is a vital source of nutritious and healthy food for populations worldwide, generating employment opportunities and driving economic growth through domestic and international trade. This study aims to analyze the comparative advantages of China, Norway, and Türkiye in foreign trade within the aquaculture sector from 2013 to 2023. The data obtained from TurkStat and Trade Map databases were analyzed using the Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA) index and product mapping methods. The analysis revealed that China and Norway exhibited a comparative advantage in many aquaculture products, particularly raw aquaculture, and were net exporters. Norway experienced an increase in competitiveness during the study period, while China's competitiveness decreased. Türkiye’s competitiveness in aquaculture lags behind that of China and Norway. While Türkiye has a competitive advantage in primary aquaculture trade, it is disadvantaged in processed aquaculture trade. Türkiye has a significant competitive advantage in the trade of chilled seafood and aquatic invertebrates, excluding crustaceans and molluscs, within the scope of primary aquaculture products. Additionally, the competitive advantages that each of these three countries has in different aquaculture products indicates that they could benefit from trading aquaculture products with each other.