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Producers in Türkiye’s mediterranean province of Antalya who cultivate high-value alternative products have turned to the tropical fruit avocado, which has been the subject of adaptation studies since the early 1970s and is growing in popularity every year.
Antalya…
According to the Western Mediterranean Agricultural Research Institute Directorate (BATEM) in Antalya, the production of avocados, which were planted for experimental purposes 55 years ago, has doubled every year, reaching 65,000 tonnes in an area of 60,000 decares.
In Antalya, which is prominent in greenhouse agriculture, producers who cultivate high-value alternative products have turned to the tropical fruit avocado in recent years.
The production of avocados, whose popularity is increasing day by day, has also begun to double year on year. The production of avocados, which was 400 tonnes on an area of 700 decares across the country in 2004, has reached 65,000 tonnes on an area of 60,000 decares over a 20-year period.
‘We now see avocado stalls in the markets’
BATEM Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abdullah Ünlü told an Anatolian Agency (AA) correspondent that avocados have become a product that could form a new export item for Türkiye over the years.
Ünlü stated that as an institute, they conduct research on avocado breeding, cultivation techniques, tissue culture and combating diseases and pests.
Drawing attention to the fact that avocado is an important fruit in terms of unsaturated fatty acids, Ünlü said, “Avocado oil has also begun to be used significantly in the cosmetics industry. In addition, avocado puree has also begun to be consumed quite a lot in recent years. The product, which has become indispensable in diet menus, has also become indispensable for consumers in terms of health.”
