Like wars and socio-politic shifts, contagious diseases have changed the economics and politics of the world throughout history. In 2020, the world faced COVID-19, a globally effective virus leading to mass losses and socio-economic panic. Due to apparent psycho-social conditions, analyzing the potential economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic was inevitable. Thus, discussing economic effects of previous global and regional epidemics is considered beneficial. This research evaluated most of the known epidemics and their effects on economics and socio-politics by reviewing scientific literature. In addition to the vast literature and observations on the ongoing process, we assessed the potential impacts of COVID-19 and potential ways to overcome these impacts. The most urgent socio-economic measures needed to combat the negative effects of a contagious disease are related to unemployment with its income effects and security of all sectors. To prevent persistent unemployment, service, retail, and even industrial sectors need to be supported. Additionally, we discussed the need for re-organizing the funding and managerial sustainability of healthcare services to be prepared for future.

Tomato, a vital subtropical vegetable crop, is in demand globally but is produced in limited regions. Recently, its supply has become increasingly influenced by internal and external production factors. This study analyzed the impact of price fluctuations and evolving agricultural support schemes on tomato production in three key producers: Mexico, Türkiye, and the United States, which play significant roles in the global market with specialized production and trade. Using time-series price response data from 1991 to 2022, the research examined market prices, government support policies, and international trade agreements. Long-term price effects were similar in Türkiye and the USA but negligible in Mexico. Short-term price differences were positive across all countries, with the strongest impact in the USA. Financial support programs increased supplies in alignment with time-based effects. Deviations from long-term equilibrium were corrected in all countries, with Türkiye showing the fastest recovery. The results suggest that decoupled supports positively influence supply and merit further promotion.

Around the end of 2019 through to 2020, the world had to encounter an outbreak of the novel COVID-19, a globally devastating virus, leading to mass losses and socio-economic panic. The impacts of previous SARS-COV and MERS-COV on macro-economic conditions, income level and labour market composition of 26 selected countries were evaluated within this paper in order to make economic inferences for COVID-19. The evaluation signed that the more fatal SARS-COV had depreciating effects on all economies in the sample, while MERS-COV had affected a more limited number of countries. Yet, the past epidemics mostly affected the labour market and services sector, as emphasized by the literature on economics of epidemics. It can be foreseen that, the services sector will be affected negatively with supply and labour demand aspects even after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. On the other hand, changing consumption attitudes and the rising tendency for online shopping may lead a closer correlation between agriculture and services sectors in terms of delivery services. It might be possible to understand such impacts as more micro-data can be analysed in the future.

Agricultural production and income are important for Mediterranean region of Turkey. The region and especially Antalya province is well-known with greenhouse production. For greenhouse production achieving sustainability is important for meeting domestic and foreign demand and security of production lands. In order to measure the potential for improving greenhouse operators 281 farmers were surveyed in 2015 in Antalya and profit inefficiency and factors affecting inefficiencies of operators were estimated using stochastic frontier approach. Accordingly, the average inefficiency level of operators was found as 57 %, signifying the potential for improvement. The main objective was to undermine the impact of landownership on this inefficiency level. Yet, the impact of other relevant factors referring to greenhouse structures and famers’ characteristics were estimated as well. While level of education seemed to reduce inefficiency, household size had appeared as an inefficiency rising factor referring to professional labour endowment of greenhouse production in Antalya. Being renter of land appeared as an inefficiency rising factor as well as holding plastic house or having located in the western parts of Antalya. These findings indicated importance of supporting improved production technologies and use of strengthened structures. In addition, it appeared as essential to provide incentives to renters to cope with their costs.

Mushroom is an important fresh vegetable for the Turkish consumer market. However, mushroom production can only be carried out in a few places due to its specific climatic and geological requirements. The amount of mushroom produced in Türkiye was 55455 tonnes in 2020, 33518 tonnes of which (60%) was cultivated in Korkuteli town of Antalya/Türkiye. The main purpose of this research was to estimate the level of profit efficiency and determine factors affecting inefficiency of mushroom cultivation in Korkuteli/Antalya. Accordingly, 60 producers were interviewed in Korkuteli in 2020. Respecting effective exchange rate of 28th October 2020 ($ 1= 8.21 TL) the average per unit profit of producers was calculated as $ 24.98 and average profit inefficiency as 44%. The inefficiency score was estimated against socio-economic items relevant to individual farms or farmers with stochastic profit frontier approach. Gender, education and satisfaction levels of the producer and duration of harvest and registry to the Farmer Registration System (CKS) appeared as factors reducing profit inefficiency. However, age of the farmer, garden use of waste compost and mushroom sales through intermediaries were detected as inefficiency rising factors. Due to the findings, supporting female producers, providing applied training and courses, developing approaches to raise the satisfaction level of producers and supporting CKS registry were proposed. In addition, it was concluded that establishment of a waste compost centre and reopening the producer union, that was shut down earlier, might reduce profit inefficiency.