3-Kilogram Potatoes Dug Up in Bitlis' Ahlat

November 1, 2026 · sondakika.com

Giant potatoes, weighing close to 3 kilograms, were unearthed during the harvest in Ahlat, Bitlis, a major potato-producing center, drawing significant attention.

Giant Potato Surprise in Ahlat

Giant tubers unearthed from fields during the ongoing harvest season in Ahlat, Bitlis, one of Turkey's leading potato-producing basins, are attracting the interest of producers and locals. Among the produce harvested from the field of farmer Fatih Ak in the district, potatoes exceeding 2 kilograms, with the largest approaching 3 kilograms, were identified. These colossal potatoes, grown using traditional methods without any special intervention, were met with astonishment by citizens visiting the market. Citizens, seeing produce large enough to feed a large family with a single potato, came to the field and recorded these moments with their mobile phones.

Producer Explains Natural Growth

Producer Fatih Ak, stating that they have been cultivating for many years in Ahlat's rich and fertile agricultural lands, mentioned that they grow various types of potatoes such as seed, table, frying, and chip potatoes on their land. Emphasizing that they do not use any unusual practices during the production process, Potato Producer Fatih Ak made the following statements:

'Occasionally, such large, colossal produce can emerge among the potatoes we grow. Especially when citizens come to buy potatoes, they are surprised to see potatoes of this size. We are now accustomed to it; we can encounter potatoes of similar size during our production. Seeing the interest of the citizens and our produce attracting attention in this way also makes us happy.'

Bitlis Leads in Per-Decare Yield

The high yields and productivity rates in the region were directly reflected in the 2025 Potato Product Report data published by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. According to the report, while Bitlis ranked 9th in Turkey with a total yield of 310,937 tons in 2024, it became the leader in Turkey in terms of per-decare productivity. In the province, where a yield of 4,361 kilograms per decare was recorded, cultivation is carried out over an area exceeding 50,000 decares, encompassing the districts of Ahlat, Tatvan, and Adilcevaz. Officials expect a total yield of 250,000 tons for 2025, while the sector also provides a livelihood for thousands of seasonal workers.

Records in Turkey and the World

The high-volume potatoes obtained in Bitlis have brought to the agenda other unusual harvest examples recorded in Turkey and the world. Similarly, it was reported in the press in 2024 that potatoes weighing approximately 3 kilograms were grown in the Derinkuyu district of Nevşehir. On a global scale, according to Guinness World Records, the title for the world's heaviest potato belongs to a produce harvested in England in 2011, weighing 4 kilograms and 980 grams. The potatoes grown in Ahlat are both offered to the domestic market and continue to be exported as seed and table potatoes to neighboring countries thanks to their high quality.

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