Rainfall Bounty Boosts Sunflower Yield in Istanbul
· AA Tarım & Ekonomi
Favorable climate conditions and production planning support across Istanbul are expected to increase sunflower yields by 20% to 25% compared to the previous season.
Rainfall Bounty in Istanbul Agriculture
Istanbul Provincial Director of Agriculture and Forestry, Suat Parıldar, stated that agricultural production continues uninterrupted in the districts of Silivri, Çatalca, Büyükçekmece, Şile, Beykoz, and Sarıyer, and announced that seasonal rainfall has directly reflected on product yields. Istanbul Provincial Director of Agriculture and Forestry, Suat Parıldar, who explained that periodic rainfall after April was particularly decisive for the fruit-filling stage in sunflowers, made the following assessments:
"Our rainfall has been very good this year, and our products are very bountiful. Sunflowers need periodic rainfall from the sowing date, i.e., from April onwards. This is especially important during the fruit-filling period. The rainfall received in June and July also increases yield for sunflowers. Our rainfall regime has been very favorable this year. Therefore, we might be in a year where we break records in plant production in Turkey, perhaps in the history of the Republic. We had very good yields in cereals, wheat, and barley, as well as in sunflowers and canola. We hope it continues like this in the future."
Strategic Production Power in the Marmara Region
Highlighting the metropolitan city's agricultural potential, Suat Parıldar stated that the megacity ranks high in oilseed production. Istanbul Provincial Director of Agriculture and Forestry, Suat Parıldar, who indicated that cultivation is carried out over a wide area across the province according to the data from the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, said:
"Every year, we have a total of 210-220 thousand decares of sunflower cultivation in Istanbul, with an average production volume of 45 thousand tons, which places us at considerable levels in the Marmara Region. We are 5th in Marmara and 12th in Turkey in terms of production. Istanbul, where 16 million people live, a center of culture, history, and tourism, a heritage from our ancestors, is also a very beautiful agricultural production center along with its past."
Parıldar emphasized that production will continue uninterrupted under the leadership of the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, İbrahim Yumaklı.
Comprehensive Production Planning in Agricultural Lands
Sharing Istanbul's agricultural inventory, Suat Parıldar stated that the supply-demand balance has been established with the planning model implemented in 2024. Istanbul Provincial Director of Agriculture and Forestry, Suat Parıldar, shared the following information on the subject:
"We currently have 743 thousand decares of cultivated agricultural land in Istanbul. Under the leadership of our minister, we transitioned to production planning in 2024. Across all of Turkey, we now carry out production with our farmers according to a plan. We have implemented this plan in Istanbul as well. We have put production planning into practice for 6 crops and fodder crops. We are implementing production planning for wheat, barley, sunflower, canola, dry beans, chickpeas, and fodder crops in Istanbul."
Parıldar announced that 210 thousand decares are used for oilseed sunflower, nearly 297 thousand decares for wheat, 57 thousand decares for barley, nearly 40 thousand decares for canola, and 60 thousand decares for fodder crops, noting that 90% of the cultivated lands are planned.
Diesel and Fertilizer Incentives for Farmers
Producers who carry out cultivation in line with production planning are entitled to receive double state support. Istanbul Provincial Director of Agriculture and Forestry, Suat Parıldar, who pointed out that input costs have been alleviated, made the following statement:
"What does this mean? We provide support to our farmers for the entire amount of diesel and 50% of the fertilizer. You see the production. Therefore, these supports are as rightful as the mother's pure milk for our farmers who produce, who put their sweat into it, who spend their nights and days in production. Thus, we continue with the slogan, 'In the century of production, in the century of the producer, we stand shoulder to shoulder with our farmers, no stopping, let's continue production.'"
Parıldar also stated that while increasing sunflower production to meet the needs of the domestic market, attention is also paid to preserving wheat cultivation areas.
High Increase Expected in Sunflower Yield
Recalling the yield figures recorded in Istanbul last season, Suat Parıldar announced that they expect much higher yields from the fields in the new harvest period. According to the data from the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, Istanbul Provincial Director of Agriculture and Forestry, Suat Parıldar, stated that 44 thousand tons of product were obtained last year and said:
"We are approaching the harvest season this year, and with early sowings, the harvest is about to begin. We estimate that our sunflower yield will increase by more than 20-25% with the harvest, but we will share the final figures again at a harvest festival once our harvest is complete. In cereals, this 20-25% has already been realized."
With these words, Parıldar confirmed the general upward trend in plant production.
Farmers' Satisfaction with Rainfall and Support
Tahsin Özdil, a producer who has been engaged in agricultural activities for 40 years in Arnavutköy, stated that he planted sunflowers on 650 decares this season and that the seasonal conditions positively affected the yield. Arnavutköy Sunflower Producer Tahsin Özdil expressed:
"This year, we are a bit luckier compared to last year and the last 1-2 years. We received rainfall 2-3 times after the sunflowers emerged. We expect a difference in yield compared to previous years. I can say we are hopeful."
Özdil explained that the product provides the advantage of converting to cash in 3.5-4 months and stated that the provided support is indispensable for the sustainability of agriculture.
Increased Yield Target with Seed Support
Another producer in the region, İhsan Erbay, stated that he produces on 150-200 decares of land. Arnavutköy Sunflower Producer İhsan Erbay shared his views:
"Especially this year, our Ministry and the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Agriculture provided us with sunflower seeds with a 75% subsidy. We planted them. We hope it will be good. We expect good yields. Of course, if our state increases the support for diesel and fertilizer, we will increase production further and achieve better production. Farming is good, working with the soil is a good thing."
Sunflower producer Murat Yavaş, who cultivates sunflowers, wheat, canola, and oats on approximately 300 decares, said:
"The appearance of the fields is also good. Due to the July rains, things are going well both in terms of yield and the appearance of the flowers. We benefit from state support. Without support, we wouldn't be able to manage. We request that the support continue to increase for us to develop our production."