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In Anamur (a district of Mersin province), which alone meets 30 percent of Turkey’s banana production, drought bells began to ring. As farmers set out looking for ways to save their crops, there are concerns that the yield loss will reach serious proportions.
AN AVERAGE OF 200 THOUSAND TONNES OF BANANA IS PRODUCED…
Due to the drought in the district, the water level at the base decreased. Because of the fact that the regions where the greenhouses are located are at sea level, the salinity rate has increased. Agricultural Engineer Bünyamin Kozak said that an average of 200 thousand tonnes of bananas are produced annually in the district, which alone meets 30 percent of banana production across Turkey. Explaining that if the drought continues, there will be a 20 percent loss of yield, Kozak said, “Irrigation can be switched to the in-greenhouse storage system and that the producer should switch to a drip irrigation system instead of a sprinkler to prevent evaporation.”
“A FIRST HAPPENED IN ANAMUR”
Pointing out that bananas love water very much, Kozak explained, “A banana tree consumes 5 tonnes of water a year. Banana greenhouses in the Mediterranean region were planned according to the available water. If the drought continues like this, the banana greenhouses will be threatened to be dismantled. The burning of our forests prevented water retention. These troubles we went through in the summer period put us in a lot of trouble.”
“For the first time, the State Hydraulic Works (DSI) cut off the water supplied to the irrigation union once a week in Anamur. So they started saving. In Adana and Çukurova regions, DSI started to give water for 5 days and not for 5 days too. Two weeks ago; It started to be said that ‘we will not be able to give water to the plain until it rains from now on’. These greenhouses were built with the thought that we would receive this water for 12 months. These gardens were established but now there is drought. Of course, the management of water is in DSI,” Kozak added…
