Covering an estimated 40,000 decares of farmland, the thick fog persists for nearly six months each year in the Kasaba, Uğrar, Ahlatlı, Dirgenler, and Karadağ neighborhoods. Situated in a basin at 250 meters above sea level and surrounded by high mountains, the plain becomes blanketed in fog from the evening hours onward, creating a striking white landscape when viewed from above.
‘Blind fog’ creates ideal climate for greenhouse farming in Antalya plain
ANTALYA
In the southern province of Antalya’s Kaş district, the dense fog, locally known as 'kör duman' (blind fog), that blankets the Kasaba Plain each evening and lingers until noon the next day, though a bane for daily life, provides a boon for local farmers by creating ideal conditions for greenhouse farming.
Despite reducing visibility and making everyday activities more challenging, the fog maintains humidity levels and stabilizes temperatures, fostering high-quality crop production, particularly for the region’s prized kapia peppers.
“Although ‘kör duman’ affects out daily lives, it breathes life into our crops. The fog enhances the color, growth and taste of our kapia peppers, making them meatier and extending their shelf life. Thanks to this, our peppers are superior to those grown elsewhere,” local farmer Arif Süer highlighted.
The region’s success in greenhouse farming has also reversed migration trends. “We’ve shifted from being a place of emigration to one that attracts people. We don’t use chemical pesticides here; instead, we rely on biological pest control, using beneficial insects to protect our crops. This approach helps our produce stand out both domestically and internationally,” Süer explained.
Fellow farmer Zehra Süer shared that they nurture the peppers as if they were their own children, sending them to people’s tables with pride and confidence.