Harvest Begins for Heirloom Seeds and Highland Melons in Muğla

September 27, 2026 · hamlegazetesi.com.tr

In Karabağlar Plateau, within the Menteşe district of Muğla, the harvest season has commenced for traditional highland melons grown without irrigation and heirloom vegetables.

In the Menteşe district of Muğla, the harvest season has begun in producer gardens as part of efforts to protect local agricultural products and promote heirloom seeds. The event, held in the fields of heirloom vegetable grower Mehmet Yıldız and highland melon producer Halise Dural, was attended by Muğla Provincial Director of Agriculture and Forestry Seyfettin Baydar, branch managers, and technical personnel. Seyfettin Baydar stated that Karabağlar Plateau has a unique microclimate due to its geomorphological structure and winter rainfall, and that the traditional production culture in the region is passed down from generation to generation.

Highland melons, one of the most important symbols of traditional agriculture in the region, are cultivated on approximately 400 decares in the neighborhoods of Karabağlar Plateau, Düğerek, Ortaköy, and Orhaniye. Planted after the soil warms up in May, these melons can be grown without any irrigation during their development stage. The produce, which undergoes two hoeing and hilling processes, is harvested from late August to early September. Melons named Paris, Pıtraklı, and Hırsız Almaz, weighing 3-4 kilograms, can be preserved throughout the winter by sealing their stems and hanging them.

Within the scope of Projects for Enhancing the Utilization of Agricultural Lands, Kırkağaç melon seeds were provided to producers in cooperation with the General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies and the Aegean Agricultural Research Institute. Distributed with a 75% grant from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, these seeds yield high-production crops that can reach weights of 7-8 kilograms. This local round type, protected since 1963, offers producers a market advantage with its long shelf life due to its adaptability to drought and different soil structures.

Within the scope of the Heirloom Vegetables Project, launched in 2021 with the support of the General Directorate of Plant Production, 5,560,000 seedlings were planted by 2025. A total of 8,255,000 TL was spent during this period. In 2026, with a budget of 2,177,000 TL, 200,000 tomato, 210,000 pepper, and 90,000 eggplant seedlings, along with 20 kilograms of melon, 20 kilograms of okra, and 1 kilogram of lettuce seeds were procured. Thus, grant support was provided to 500 producers.

Heirloom seeds reduce input costs due to their high climate adaptation capabilities and the ability to separate seeds for replanting each season. These vegetables, highly sought after in the market for their taste, smell, and aroma, can be harvested in open fields for 9 months across Muğla through staggered planting in coastal and plateau regions. Products grown with less pesticide and chemical fertilizer create a significant source of income and employment, especially for women producers in rural areas.

Comprehensive seed support was implemented in the 2026 production season to meet the quality roughage needs of livestock enterprises in the region. With a 75% grant from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, 100 producers were provided with silage corn seeds for planting on 1,000 decares. Drip irrigation was preferred in over 50% of the production. Additionally, sorghum seeds were distributed to 94 producers for cultivation on 2,000 decares, securing fodder production under drought conditions.

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