Comparative Descriptive Economic Analysis of Greenhouse Vegetable Production, AI Adoption, and Food Safety Across Selected Countries and Regions

This study presents a comparative descriptive analysis of greenhouse vegetable production across seven countries and regions: Albania, Turkey (Antalya), Greece (Crete/Central Macedonia), Italy (Sicily/Puglia), Egypt, Jordan, and the Kurdish Region (Iraq). Key indicators include greenhouse area (ha), vegetable production (million tons), Agri-Tech and AI adoption, and food safety regulation. Data were compiled from national and international sources, including INSTAT, TÜİK, Eurostat, FAO, and regional reports. Results reveal substantial disparities in scale, productivity, technological integration, and regulatory compliance. Turkey (Antalya) dominates in both greenhouse area and total production, supported by advanced Agri-Tech adoption and strong food safety regulations. Italy exhibits very advanced technological integration, achieving high production efficiency with comparatively smaller area, while Greece demonstrates effective productivity and regulatory compliance despite limited greenhouse infrastructure. Egypt achieves high total production with moderate technological adoption, highlighting efficient use of available resources. Smaller and emerging regions—Albania, Jordan, and the Kurdish Region—maintain limited scale, low-to-moderate technology adoption, and moderate or developing food safety standards, indicating high growth potential through targeted investment and modernization. Integrated analysis underscores the positive correlation between technology adoption, production efficiency, and regulatory strength, while highlighting that large-scale infrastructure alone does not guarantee optimal productivity. These findings provide insights into regional strengths, technological gaps, and regulatory challenges in greenhouse vegetable production, offering guidance for policymakers, investors, and agricultural stakeholders seeking to enhance productivity, food quality, and global market competitiveness.