THE GLOBAL WINDOW OF TURKISH FOOD AND AGRICULTURE The Global Window of Turkish Food and Agriculture Sector
Related Articles
Press release…
TOMATOES IN PAIN, BANANAS IN VAN, STRAWBERRIES IN ERZURUM NOT IMPOSSIBLE…
GEOTHERMAL GREENHOUSES ARE THE KEY TO BOOST PRODUCTION IN AGRICULTURE…
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY ASSOCIATION (JED) CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ALİ KINDAP:
“BY INCREASING OUR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION WITH GEOTHERMAL GREENHOUSES, WE CAN REDUCE FOOD PRICES AND BECOME ONE OF THE WORLD’S LEADING EXPORTER COUNTRIES IN THIS FIELD.”
“THERE ARE OVER 1500 NATURAL GEOTHERMAL SPRINGS IN ALMOST EVERY CITY IN TURKIYE. THIS WEALTH UNDER OUR FEET SAYS ‘YOU CAN GET RICH BY USING ME’.”
While inflation in food products across Türkiye is much higher than the official inflation rate, unpredictable hikes in input costs, especially energy, are among the most important reasons for the decline in agricultural production.
Geothermal greenhouses, the number of which has soared rapidly in recent years, are the key to the rise in agricultural production in Türkiye as they almost eliminate energy costs.
Commenting on Turkey’s future vision in this field, Ali Kındap, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Geothermal Energy Association (JED), pointed out that Agriculture Based Specialised Organised Industrial Zones (TDİOSB) should be planned together with the geothermal resources spread throughout the country’s geography and should be established close to these resources.
TOMATO PRODUCTION AT 1925 METRES ALTITUDE AND MINUS 35 DEGREES…
Kındap also said that geothermal energy, which has more than 1,500 natural exit points in the country, is sufficient to enable the cultivation of all kinds of agricultural products in every province.
“With the geothermal resources under our feet and waiting to be used, it is possible to grow tomatoes in these provinces, Ağrı, bananas in Van, strawberries in Erzurum and even create new brands recognised all over the world as ‘Anamur banana’. We also have very unique examples of these productions. And the level of productivity and yield in these examples can easily compete with the countries that have a say in this field,” he added.
“For example, tomatoes produced at minus 35 degrees celsius in the Kozaklı district of Nevşehir and Diyadin, a district of Ağrı with an altitude of 1925 metres, can be more competitive than tomatoes produced in Antalya region. There is neither the need nor the meaning of transporting tomatoes produced in Antalya to Istanbul, 800 kilometres away. By raising our agricultural production with geothermal greenhouses, we can reduce food prices and become one of the world’s leading exporter countries in this field,” he concluded…
