Investment in the agricultural sector in Turkey is one of the most growing sectors! The government is also keen to develop agricultural investment vigorously through many incentives in the price of land or tax values in case of agricultural investment in some types of vegetables and fruits.
Blueberry is one of the most essential types of fruits that the Turkish government seeks to increase its agricultural area, especially with the solutions of modern agriculture, such as hydroponics or without soil.
In Turkey, 4 Vaccinium species grow wild and have not been improved through breeding for commercial growing.
The introduction of blueberry plants into Turkey began in 1999 but commercial blueberry culture made slow progress. Today, blueberry culture and fruit consumption increased rapidly and by 2014, blueberries were planted on about 200 ha and fruit production had risen to 1000 t. additionally, some fresh and frozen blueberry fruit is imported from foreign countries to meet the demands of Turkish consumers who are preferring blueberry for health and nutraceutical benefits.
About 30 cultivars of northern highbush blueberries have been studied for adaptation in Turkey.
Recently more than 5 cultivars of southern highbush and several rabbit eyes are trying to test.
Based on soil conditions and air temperature, blueberry growing regions may be divided into two zones in Turkey;
a) northern highbush are grown in the Black Sea Region (Artvin, Rize, Trabzon, Ordu, Giresun, Samsun, Sinop, Zonguldak) and Marmara Region (Istanbul, Bursa, Yalova and Kırklareli). These areas include both lower altitudes beginning from the eastern part of the Black Sea and the highland areas of the western part of the same region that is relatively cool and rainy during the growing season (April to October),
b) southern and rabbiteye blueberries are trying to grow in southern part of Turkey and western part of Black Sea Region which is warmer during the winter. 21 provinces (Ordu, Giresun, Trabzon, Rize, Artvin, Gümüshane, Bartın, Bolu, Düzce, Samsun, Sinop, Zonguldak, Karabük, Kastamonu, Kocaeli, Sakarya, Bursa, Çanakkale, İstanbul, Kırklareli and Yalova) are mainly under study for their satisfied soil and climatic conditions for blueberries.
Turkish consumers prefer fresh, large, and sweet blueberry fruit. It is easy to produce high-quality fruit, because of the average rain at the beginning of the growing season and balance during the whole season, and good, sandy loam and loamy clay soils with proper pH range.
In Turkey, adaptation studies by southern and rabbiteye blueberry cultivars, mulching and mineral nutrition, post-harvest and storage, and cultural studies with integrated pest management, pruning, and training research are well established for the future.
In the next years, the blueberry growing area is expected to expand to 2,000 ha, and production volume will be increased to 6,000-8,000 t. Total blueberry fruit consumption in the country is estimated to increase to 30,000 t.
There is a great opportunity for early entry into that growing international market through investment programs that guarantee management and operations until the completion of the sale and collection at international prices and in foreign currencies (euro and the dollar.)
With an average of 15% annual ROI. we can call safe, profitable, and growing investment!
Sources:
Huseyin Celik (Ondokuz Mayıs Üniversitesi)
Next Move Investment Solutions
The Investment Office of the Turkish Presidency
