Is Hemp Legal in Turkey?

Industrial hemp, known locally as kenevir, is a historic Turkish crop and is legal to cultivate under licence. The governing instrument is the Regulation on the Cultivation and Control of Hemp (Kenevir Yetistiriciligi ve Kontrolu Hakkinda Yonetmelik), published in the Official Gazette on 29 September 2016 by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (now the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Tarim ve Orman Bakanligi). The regulation authorises licensed hemp farming in 19 designated provinces, including Amasya, Antalya, Burdur, Corum, Izmir, Karabuk, Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kutahya, Malatya, Ordu, Samsun, Sinop, Tokat, Yozgat, and Zonguldak. Cultivation outside these provinces requires a separate permit from the Ministry.

Licensed farmers must use certified seed and grow varieties with a THC content of no more than 0.3 percent in the dried flowering or fruiting tops. Seed is supplied through the state agricultural research network TAGEM, which maintains the Vezir and Narli varieties bred in Turkish institutes. Plots are inspected by provincial directorates, and harvest must be reported. President Erdogan publicly endorsed a hemp revival in 2019. Permitted end uses include fibre, hurd, seed, seed oil, and animal feed. Flower processing for cannabinoid extraction is not authorised under the 2016 regulation.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Verify current law with qualified counsel before making compliance decisions.