In recent years, the province of Adana, located in southern Turkey, has made great strides in terms of development and investment in the citrus and fruit sector. Thanks to the fertility of the soil, the climate and the abundant rainfall, this territory has made it possible for various local entrepreneurs to diversify their income, opening up new businesses, such as fruit crops, alongside cereal and forage crops, which are typical of this large Turkish area.
A great case in point is the story of Ibrahim Tekin, an economist from Adana, who then became an agricultural entrepreneur after obtaining a two-year master's degree in Boston. "I came back from my training in the United States full of ideas and projects, and I was struck by a sudden interest in the agricultural field, which had been put aside until then. As a son of farmers, I saw how many sacrifices my parents made to carry out their work, despite the fact that the economic results were not so satisfactory, due to the choice of extensive, low-income crops.
Ibrahim Tekin
"I started with market surveys to find out what products to offer and, above all, where to market them. I wanted to make farming my main occupation, adopting different crops and mechanization techniques the ones I had been used to. The aim was to bring about a drastic change in the company".
In recent years, Ibrahim has invested heavily in citrus and kakis. "A total of 150 hectares are planted with citrus and khaki, products that for logistical reasons are sold in the Arab, Eastern European and Russian markets. With regard to citrus fruits, I have invested in the cultivation of orange trees, with early and late varieties, mandarin-like trees, yellow grapefruit and lemon trees mainly of the Interdonato variety, the only one that is tolerant to the mal secco disease. As for persimmons, I have planted a few hectares of the firm pulp variety, Rojo Brillante. The Adana area is particularly suitable for growing khakis because of the climate conditions, such as frequent rainfall, high humidity and no wind.”
New high-density plant
"Modern agronomic techniques make it possible to obtain the correct balance of nutrients, the right water supply and above all the correct management of the foliage, focusing on the management of the most vigorous branches and not on their elimination. The result is low, dense, compact plants that are easier to grow. All this translates into better field efficiency. From the outset, I have been particularly sensitive to techniques which take into account reduced labor, respect for the environment, and above all, alternative integrated pest management practices which allow us to limit the use of chemicals and significantly reduce the number of residues".
"My appreciation goes to agronomist Vito Vitelli for supporting me at all stages in the preparation and management of the crops. His frequent visits to the farm in Adana have shown me how necessary it is to rely on experts in the field in order to achieve productive and commercial results in the medium term."