İzmir Greater City Council gets the first results of the efforts to promote organic agriculture in the Tahtalı basin. New areas are to be included in the project. The council encourages farmers to grow organic products without using chemicals
A recent project by the İzmir Greater City Council Parks Department will be switching to organic production as it aims to save the Torbalı basin that covers an important part of city”s water supply from pollution caused by fertilizers.
Villagers in Yeni Bulgurca have already agreed not to use fertilizers, a decision which will help to conserve the environment with less intensive use of land.
Studies are carried out in Çatalca and Merkez Yeniköy, which are also located in the basin. So far, the municipality has signed agreements with farmers in Efemçukuru for organic production, and the Şaşal and Değirmendere villages are expected to be included in the project in the coming days.
“Organic agriculture provides product of high quality and promotes sustainable use of natural resources,” said Naci Özgen, Ersezgin Companies Group food department chief. “Therefore the demand for organic products is increasing all over the world.”
Explaining that organic production did not pollute the environment, Özgen explained how the organic products were controlled from the time they were planted until the harvesting period. “Instead of the chemicals, the farmer copes with “dacus oleae” [a kind of olive insect] with ash or lime which will also cost less.”
Studies are also to be carried out to sell the products of the farmers who take place in organic production. This will not only save the city but also secure the rights of the producers. The products are to be sold by organic product purchase deal. The crops will be planted according to demand.
“In conventional agriculture, you can sell one litre of olive oil for YTL 8, while this number increases to YTL 28 in organic production. This is both good and bad. The quality of the product increases and the income may increase proportionally. Yet, it needs a good and careful market research as the organic product customer is rare and selective,” said Özgen.
İzmir Provincial Agriculture Directorate Farmer Instruction Branch Manager Ahmet Yeşilli gave information to the villagers on organic agriculture in Yeni Bulgurca Monday. Explaining the importance of the project, Yeşilli said: “The studies carried out in the basin are of vital importance. We aim to prevent the pollution of the drinking water. The basin will be a unique center in the world if we can achieve turning it into an organic basin. This is a unique project to set a good example to the rest of Turkey.”
Yeşilli asserted that World Health Organization (WHO), as wel as the Ministry of Agriculture encouraged organic agriculture. He said that they supported the studies of İzmir Greater City Council. “Wealth transfer to agriculture is very important. We thank İzmir Mayor and İzmir Greater City Council on behalf of the farmers.”
