Since 2016, vegetables have been grown in geothermal greenhouses in the systems of the Ministry of Agriculture in Ayrancılar, a district of Çaldıran, Van, the coldest settlement in Turkey. Project Coordinator and Agricultural Engineer Yusuf Taşkın says that Van has a promising future in its cover agriculture.
With 46.4 below zero, in 1994, geothermal greenhouses were established in the Van Çaldıran region, which was in the best condition ever experienced in Turkey, where Agriculture would be and 10 producers came together. In these greenhouses, although it varies according to the season, work is used for about 40 people. To start designing the season 12 months of 90 degree hot waters emanating from Çaldıran, which is in a position to take advantage of what may be the best features of Turkey. With advanced technology and in these greenhouses, soilless agriculture teach an average of one thousand 4 hundred tons each year. These tomatoes are produced and sold in Turkey, especially in Van.
Uninterrupted production in Turkey’s coldest place
Although tomatoes have been produced in the greenhouses that have been producing uninterruptedly for the last six years, from the day they were established to the beginning of this year, it was decided to produce melons and cucumbers, which have lower production costs due to the increase in the production costs of tomatoes. Approximately 300 tons of melons and 340 tons of cucumbers are expected to be obtained from these products, which will continue to be produced until July.
These products, which are primarily evaluated in the Van market, can sometimes be sent to regions such as Antalya, Ankara and Mersin. The reason for this is the variability experienced between the shipping prices of the products coming from these provinces to Van and the products sent from Van. Due to the fact that the transportation vehicles departing from Van are mostly empty, they can take these products for the price of the fuel they spend, and sometimes even below this price. However, after this stage, it is planned to carry out on-site production due to the increase in input costs, production costs and logistics costs, that is, to meet the product needs of Van.
Van promises a future in greenhouse agriculture
Project Coordinator and Agricultural Engineer Yusuf Taşkın, who stated that there are two transition periods in terms of vegetables and it is profitable to evaluate these transition periods, said, “Actually, the production in Antalya determines the market prices. 50 percent of Turkey’s greenhouse assets are located in the Antalya region. Therefore, 45-day intervals are very important in May-June, which is the transition period from greenhouse to field production, and in October-November, which is the transition period from field production to greenhouse. We can catch up with these two periods in greenhouse cultivation, that is, in greenhouse cultivation, in terms of climate, altitude and vegetation. In these two periods, we can supply products that can coincide with the high prices in the market.”
He also underlines that the establishment of a specialized organized greenhouse zone based on agriculture in the region is on the city’s agenda, emphasizing that geothermal greenhouse cultivation can be a very important sector for the city of Van.
Video: Barış Aslan
Montage: Hakan Aslan
Translator:Akif Coşkun
