Pear Harvest in Edirne Sees 10% Yield Increase

October 1, 2026 · Tarım TV

Despite extreme heat in Edirne, pear harvest yields increased by 10% through proper irrigation and care techniques, while a direct producer-to-consumer sales model offered price advantages.

Kenan Kırca, a 70-year-old producer in Edirne who turned to the soil after retirement instead of staying idle, has been cultivating pears continuously for 15 years. Kırca, who started agricultural production by planting jujube and pear saplings, states that Edirne's soil and climate structure are highly suitable for fruit cultivation. In his orchard, which has a total of 200 pear trees, the experienced producer primarily grows the Deveci pear and Haziran Güzeli varieties, and regularly benefits from the organic farming support provided by the state.

Kırca increased irrigation frequency to combat the extreme heat conditions that prevailed throughout the season and developed special techniques to protect the fruits from sunburn. Stating that product quality was maintained thanks to the proper care applied, Producer Kenan Kırca made the following assessment:

While the harvested products are largely supplied to local markets in Edirne, there are numerous consumers who come directly from surrounding provinces and especially from Istanbul to purchase directly from the orchard. Emphasizing that the sales channel reaching directly from producer to consumer provides an economic advantage, Producer Kenan Kırca explained the market balance established:

The producer underlined that pest control must be carried out systematically to prevent yield loss in pear production, taking conscious steps in the field. Producer Kenan Kırca, who stated that pest monitoring is carried out through regular checks by the teams of the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, pointed to the critical role of expert monitoring on plant health:

Kırca stated that fruit cultivation is a laborious activity requiring significant effort and argued that the decrease in young labor in rural areas threatens the future of agriculture. Observing that young people are distant from orchard farming, Producer Kenan Kırca drew attention to the structural bottleneck:

The halt in new fruit orchard investments in the region negatively affects long-term production projections. Due to the aging producer population and the lack of young people entering the sector, a significant leap in pear yield across Edirne is not expected in the coming years. While sustainable yields are achieved in existing orchards, the failure to open new planting areas limits the traditional fruit cultivation potential in the Thrace region, while the continuity of expert support and incentives remains important.

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