Irrigation Investment in Selçuk Brings 2,000 Decares of Land into Agricultural Production
· Hürriyet Ekonomi
A modern irrigation facility established by Izmir Metropolitan Municipality with an investment of 15.5 million Turkish Liras in Selçuk has resolved the salinity issue in groundwater, opening up 2,000 decares of idle land for production.
Modern Irrigation Investment in Selçuk
The irrigation facility, established with an investment of 15.5 million Turkish Liras by the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality's Department of Agricultural Services, has transformed the landscape of agricultural production in the Selçuk district. In the project, implemented in cooperation with the Selçuk Central Irrigation Cooperative, producers gained access to quality water through a prepaid meter system by establishing a drip irrigation infrastructure. Farmers in the region, who previously had to use artesian water with extremely high salinity levels, have now obtained quality irrigation water thanks to the new infrastructure and have increased their product yield.
Salinity Decreased, Cultivation Area Increased
Buket Kuyumcu Yücel, Agricultural Engineer at the Irrigation and Agricultural Infrastructure Branch Directorate of the Department of Agricultural Services, stated that the facility was completed in 2024 and made the following assessment:
"As the Metropolitan Municipality, we completed this facility in 2024. Before the facility became operational, there were agricultural areas that did not receive water. Now, these areas can be irrigated, and new planting areas have emerged. In particular, the number of our farmers producing pomegranates has increased."
Stating that the dependence on artesian wells has decreased and soil health is being protected, Buket Kuyumcu Yücel added:
"We have also observed a decrease in the salinity levels in the soil. As the Metropolitan Municipality, we will continue our efforts to ensure that our farmers can access water more easily and efficiently."
Two Thousand Decares Brought into Agriculture
Selçuk Irrigation Cooperative Chairman Mehmet Bayraktar emphasized that former grazing lands have been reopened for production and stated the following:
"The water reaching those lands has facilitated the cultivation of products such as quince, pomegranate, and citrus. Approximately 2,000 decares of idle land, which previously did not receive water, have been brought into agricultural production."
Stating that the salinity barrier in the soil has been overcome, Mehmet Bayraktar concluded his remarks as follows:
"Despite having fertile lands, it was quite difficult to produce in these areas. Thanks to the facility, we have gained access to quality water and have largely overcome this problem. The increase in production, the strengthening of agriculture, and the contribution to the economy are a great happiness for all of us."