Serhat Asci Faculty Feature

By Cameron Lamanuzzi, Ag 166 Communications/Publications class

From his home country of Turkey to the USA, agricultural business faculty Dr. Serhat Asci's knowledge and love agriculture continues to grow every year.

His drive to study new commodities was fostered by his bachelor's and master's degrees from Turkey and a doctoral degree from the University of Florida.

In his six years at Fresno State, he has also used experience from trips to Europe, Africa and the Caribbean to apply his understanding of various economic systems around the world and their pros and cons. 

The transition has been made easier from a research standpoint since Turkey and the Central Valley produce similar crops such as citrus, nuts, grapes and wine because of the same Mediterranean Climate. 

However, the farming culture in Turkey is much different.

"The average farm in Turkey is significantly smaller compared to the large, more industrial farms in America," Asci said, "therefore the supply chain in Turkey is much different. For example, there are many almond and pistachio brokers in Turkey who export the products to bigger factories to be processed."

In contrast, many American almond and pistachio operations can export nuts on their own straight from the processor. 

Asci has most recently focused on pesticide use research in California and how related legislative changes are impacting the state economy and land allocation. "A key focus is how crop and land prices drive land usage," Asci said. "If you increase almond production, we look how much is it taking away from other crops.”

He is also studying the U.S. and China trade war, and how it impacts California farmers.

The research Dr. Asci is most proud of relates to greenhouse investment decision-making for tomato production. The research was done in Florida and in California and received commendations for helping the industry make better financial predictions.

This past academic year, students have also benefited from his insight in his agri-food supply chain management and quantitative methods classes. 

Outside of work, he also loves the Central Valley for its hiking opportunities in the Sequoia and Yosemite National Park regions.