Abstract
International trade agreements significantly reshape the structural dynamics, market access conditions, and competitiveness of domestic agricultural sectors, particularly in emerging economies like Türkiye. This study investigates the multi-dimensional competitiveness impact of key bilateral and multilateral trade agreements on distinct agricultural sub-sectors in Türkiye through an integrated Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) approach. Utilizing a hybrid framework combining the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), the research evaluates eight core sub-sectors across six critical criteria: revealed comparative advantage, export diversification, tariff protection levels, non-tariff barrier vulnerability, input cost dependency, and technological adaptation capacity. Empirical findings reveal that high-value horticultural and dried fruit sectors maintain superior competitive resilience under preferential trade frameworks, whereas field crops and livestock sectors experience heightened competitive pressure due to structural input dependencies and non-tariff compliance bottlenecks. The analysis emphasizes that while trade liberalization facilitates market integration, domestic policy must prioritize targeted technological modernization and standard harmonization to safeguard sensitive agricultural segments. The integrated MCDM framework provides policymakers with an analytical basis for trade negotiation strategies and agricultural support mechanism redesign.
