Resource efficiency and environmental sustainability of wheat production in Türkiye

The environmental impact of agricultural production varies depending on input levels. This study provides a comparative sustainability assessment of wheat production in two different provinces of Türkiye, Samsun and Tokat, by examining the energy, exergy and environmental performance on a per ton basis. Based on exergy consumption, Cumulative Degree of Perfection (CDP) and Renewability Index (RI) indicators were determined. The results show that Cumulative Energy Consumption (CEnC) is 7262.93 MJ/ton in Samsun and 3502.97 MJ/ton in Tokat. This indicates that wheat production in Samsun is approximately twice as energy intensive as in Tokat. Cumulative Exergy Consumption (CExC) was calculated as 10514.76 MJ/ton in Samsun and 5400.88 MJ/ton in Tokat. Here, the largest component of the exergy load is irrigation, followed by diesel consumption. From an environmental perspective, Cumulative CO₂ Emissions (CCO₂E) was found to be 957.5 kg/ton in Samsun and 562.27 kg/ton in Tokat. The sustainability metrics, CDP and RI values, were calculated as 2.13 and 0.53 for Samsun and 4.14 and 0.76 for Tokat, respectively. Based on these findings, it is evident that Samsun has lower exergetic efficiency and a limited degree of renewability due to higher fuel and irrigation inputs. These results suggest that Tokat presents a more sustainable model for wheat production.