Barren State Land in Çorum Transformed into Production Hub
· Tarım TV
In Çorum's Dodurga district, 120 decares of agriculturally unsuitable state land has been converted into a medicinal and aromatic plant production center through effective crop planning and land reclamation efforts.
A 120-decare state-owned land parcel in Çorum's Dodurga district, previously deemed agriculturally unproductive, has been transformed into a comprehensive production facility thanks to effective planning and state support. Initially established in 2017 by the Çorum Provincial Special Administration as a 2.5-decare greenhouse for medicinal and aromatic plants, considering the region's climate, the facility was expanded in 2024 to become a multifaceted agricultural production center. Following soil analyses that identified the most suitable crop patterns for the land's structure, and after approximately two years of land reclamation efforts, over 30 plant and more than 20 fruit varieties have been successfully cultivated on the site.
Necat Yazıcı, Deputy Secretary-General of the Çorum Provincial Special Administration, who detailed the challenging phases of the project, stated that the land was highly unsuitable for agriculture in the past, offering the following assessment:
Following positive results from trial plantings, the facility is now fully prepared for large-scale and sustainable agricultural production.
Çorum Provincial Special Administration Deputy Secretary-General Necat Yazıcı announced that they aim to develop value-added products reaching the end consumer, beyond raw material production, and stated that they have initiated the registration process for the Aromis brand and are preparing for mass production, saying:
Agricultural Technician Tuba İşler explained the process, stating that they manage the entire supply chain from seed to table on-site:
While under-roof crops are produced in the facility's 2,500 square meter closed greenhouse, there are 6,000 square meters dedicated to strawberries, 10,000 square meters for 20 different fruit varieties, and 5,000 square meters of vineyards. The remaining plots are used for growing rosemary, sage, medicinal mint, echinacea, aronia, and rosehips.
The center, which also handles seedling production, plans to create employment opportunities, particularly for women in the region. Agricultural Technician Tuba İşler shared the following information regarding the targeted yield figures:
| Value | Period | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| 120 decares | 2024 | Total facility land area |
| 2.5 decares | 2017 | First greenhouse area established |
| 30 units | — | Number of plant varieties |
| 20 units | — | Number of fruit varieties |
| 2500 square meters | — | Facility greenhouse area |
| 6000 square meters | — | Strawberry production area |
| 10000 square meters | — | Fruit production area |
| 5000 square meters | — | Grape production area |
| 10 tonnes | End of 3rd year | Expected medicinal aromatic plant yield |
| 5 tonnes | End of 3rd year | Expected fruit yield |