Hazelnut Harvest Net Costs Reduced by 70% in Giresun
· Dünya Gazetesi
Grant support for harvest nets provided to producers in Giresun has reduced hazelnut collection costs by 70%, while also lowering aflatoxin risk and cutting harvest time by two-thirds.
The Era of Net Covering in Hazelnuts Has Begun
The aim is to popularize the net covering system in Giresun, which significantly reduces labor and time costs in hazelnut harvesting. According to data from the Giresun Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, a grant support of net covering was provided to 11 producers last year to reduce production expenses. Harvesting, done by collecting the ripened product onto nets spread in the gardens, requires much less labor compared to traditional collection methods. This year, within the scope of Rural Economic Infrastructure Investments, grant applications from 44 producers were accepted.
70% Savings in Labor Costs
Giresun Provincial Director of Agriculture and Forestry, Mustafa Ensar Yılmaz, emphasized that hazelnut orchards constitute 70% of the agricultural land in the province and announced that producers are given grants of up to 70%. Giresun Provincial Director of Agriculture and Forestry, Mustafa Ensar Yılmaz, made the following statement on the matter:
The use of net covering provides an advantage of 70% in labor costs. The harvest net is essential for us as it reduces moisture and labor costs.
Stating that new techniques are gradually replacing traditional tree-shaking harvesting methods across Turkey, Giresun Provincial Director of Agriculture and Forestry, Mustafa Ensar Yılmaz, made the following remarks:
A process related to ground collection has actually started for over 10 years. We are supporting this process with hazelnut harvest nets.
Quality and Yield on Sloping Gardens
The net covering system not only reduces labor costs but also protects product quality by reducing the risk of aflatoxin, which is a major problem in hazelnut exports. Giresun Provincial Director of Agriculture and Forestry, Mustafa Ensar Yılmaz, stated that farmers initially hesitated due to the sloping terrain conditions in the region and conveyed the producers' concerns with the following words:
My land is significantly sloped, would a hazelnut harvest net work? We don't have much space between rows or regular row arrangements in our gardens, would net covering be suitable for laying?
It has been proven that the system works successfully even on slopes with the implemented model orchards.
Three Days of Work for Producers in One Day
Azime Dizdar, a hazelnut producer cultivating in Kemaliye village connected to the city center, shared the conveniences provided by the new method with the following words:
In previous years, during the long harvest period, workers completed the harvest in one day with net covering. I really liked this method. The harvest, which was completed in 3 days with 7 people, was finished in one day with net covering.
The net covering application, which significantly reduces costs, is expected to become widespread throughout the province, contributing to yield and quality.