Farmers in Yozgat, a Central Anatolian city, grow truss tomatoes in geothermally heated greenhouses. Tomatoes produced in Yozgat's Bogazliyan district are consumed domestically and exported to Spain.
Due to the cold winter months, Yozgat's Bogazliyan district grow truss tomatoes in geothermally heated greenhouses. The geothermal heating is convenient because it has a low cost. The initiative started in 2014 in an area of 5.6 hectares and since then farmers produce truss tomatoes without soil. In this geothermally heated greenhouse, production takes place throughout the year.
The geothermally heated greenhouse based in Bogazliyan provide a good supply of truss tomatoes for several cities in Turkey and for Spain. In only 0.1 hectare, 50 to 60 tons of tomatoes are collected.
Yozgat is rich in geothermal resources
Ziyaattin Ozdemir, head of the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Forestry said: "Farmers do not use soil while growing tomatoes. The yields per hectare is 500 to 600 tons. We have one more greenhouse like this in Sorgun as well. Producers are content with the productivity."
Ozdemir added that the city has a lot of potential in terms of geothermal resources. He said: "Not only in Bogazliyan, but also in Sorgun, Saraykent and Yerkoy there are geothermal waters. In these districts, productivity can be achieved all year long."
Tugrul Aslantas, Agricultural Engineer working in the greenhouse, emphasized that truss tomatoes are well known for its taste and long shelf life. He said: "We make use of good agricultural practices and we have certificates in the area of "agriculture without soil".
"We aim for high production this year as well"
Due to lower costs of heating, Aslantas admitted that geothermal resources were a great advantage and said:
"In 0.1 hectare we grow 50 to 60 tons of tomatoes per year and sometimes it is more than 60. This year we aim for the highest productivity possible. We export our products only to Spain for the moment, but we would like to expand our market and export to more countries."
Stating that the harvest takes 85 to 90 days, Aslantas said: "We will harvest in March. If we could increase production areas like this in the country, the problem of shortage and high prices would be overcome. These greenhouse fields also contribute to an increased employment in small towns like Bogazliyan. Currently, 60 people work in this greenhouse."
Source: Hurriyet