Alternative products are grown in Akşehir Geothermal R&D Greenhouse

Konya Metropolitan Municipality implemented the R&D greenhouse together with Akşehir Municipality to grow industrial and alternative plant species besides the geothermal water extracted in Akşehir. Mayor of Konya Metropolitan Municipality Uğur İbrahim Altay stated that they carried out trial plantings for alternative products in the greenhouse in Akşehir and said, “I hope we will provide our citizens with the opportunity to produce new products in greenhouses with the successes we will achieve, and there will be diversity for products in the open field. The main goal here is to grow species that use less water and generate more income.” said.

Mayor of Konya Metropolitan Municipality Uğur İbrahim Altay stated that as the Metropolitan Municipality, they continue to support agriculture and agriculture projects throughout the city, and that they carry out important studies for the development of agriculture in Konya.

AS A METROPOLITAN, WE ARE WORKING TO BE A PIONEER

Noting that their primary goal is to increase the income of citizens living in rural areas from agriculture, Mayor Altay said, “In this direction, we have implemented a greenhouse with a closed area of ​​2 thousand square meters next to the geothermal well opened in Akşehir district Gözpınarı Neighborhood. The temperature of the water coming out here is 63 degrees. We have created a very favorable environment for greenhouse cultivation. Here we carry out a trial planting. We have two main purposes. The first is to increase the variety of products produced in the greenhouse in Konya. The second is to add new products to the products produced in the open air. Here, we are experimenting on 61 kinds of products. Hopefully, with the success we will achieve, we will not only provide our citizens with the opportunity to produce new products in greenhouses, but also will create diversity for products in the open field. The main purpose here is to grow species that use less water and generate more income. As the Metropolitan Municipality, we strive to be a pioneer in this regard.” he said.

WE HAVE STARTED TO BE A GREENHOUSE CITY OF THE REGION

Akşehir Mayor Salih Akkaya said, “In the previous years, we had hot water with a flow rate of 63 liters per second at 45 degrees. This is Konya's highest temperature hot water. First of all, we established this greenhouse together with our Metropolitan Municipality in order to set an example for our farmers at the point of greenhouse. Hopefully, we want to pave the way for investors and take a step towards becoming a greenhouse city here. Our plants in the greenhouse are not classic vegetable products, but specialty plants. I would like to thank the Mayor of the Metropolitan Municipality for supporting us in this matter.” said.

TRIAL IS PERFORMED ON 61 KINDS OF PRODUCTS

Some of the 61 species included in the R&D planning in the greenhouse, which was implemented in order to grow industrial and alternative plant species and meet the livestock feed needs, are as follows: Sahlep, saffron, St. John's Wort, pitaya, aloe vera, jujube, stevia, pelargonium, passiflora, vetiver, ginger, turmeric, sumac, maralfalfa, miscanthus, gooseberry, blueberry, bitter gourd, granadilla, tamarilla, diospyros, kiwi, zahter.