Extreme weather hits yield in fields, greenhouses

ISTANBUL

The unusual weather patterns experienced in Türkiye, including heavy rainfall and hailstorms in some regions and drought in others, have damaged crops and disrupted agricultural production.

The disruptions in agriculture are expected to lead to increased food prices, particularly for fruits and vegetables, such as grapes, tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers, which have already seen price increases.

Producers in Manisa, known as Türkiye's grape warehouse, say that climate change has significantly affected the yield and quality of grapes, that the vineyards have not gone to sleep due to the warm winter, and that this year's yield will be very low.

"This year, our vineyards were hit by both cold and frost, and there was also hail,” said Ali Uçar, a wine grower in the region.

“Under normal conditions, we used to harvest 600-700 kilograms of grapes in one hectare of vineyard, but this year we can only harvest 150-200 kilograms. Because of the extreme heat, some of the products were burned."

Farmer Levent Güngör also said that this year's yield has decreased by 50 percent.

"If the air temperature does not drop below zero, the vineyards cannot sleep and rest,” he said.

“Temperatures are expected to rise this week. This will cause sunburn; many vineyards were sunburned last week due to two days of extreme temperatures."

Authorities stated that a yield assessment study has not yet been conducted in the region, but due to changing climate conditions, a low grape yield is expected this year.

In the Northwestern province of Kırklareli, last week's hailstorm followed by heavy rains damaged wheat, barley and sunflower crops in the fields, and fruit trees were severely harmed.

Speaking to Milliyet daily, Ekrem Şaylan, president of the Kırklareli Chamber of Agriculture, said that according to initial estimates, nearly 80,000 acres of crops were damaged.

"Our barley, sunflower, wheat and fruit trees are gone. Vineyards have been destroyed. Everything that was planted has been destroyed. We have no crops left to harvest. Our losses are extensive. We want the damaged areas to be declared disaster areas. We demand that our farmers' debts be restructured and deferred," he said.

In the southern province of Antalya, greenhouses that were damaged by hail and heavy rain in the spring are now facing difficult times due to high temperatures.

Bumblebees, essential for pollinating plants in approximately 13,500 acres of soilless greenhouses, are facing challenges due to high temperatures. The extreme heat affects both the greenhouse areas and the interiors, making plants unable to produce pollen and hindering the work of those who maintain and harvest the crops.

Arzu Şentürk Salık, chairman of the Greenhouse Investors and Producers Association, described production in Antalya as currently stalled and intermittent.

"Some days, production completely stops due to the high temperatures. It continues in places with higher altitudes," Şentürk Salık said.

"Bees provide pollination for the plants in our greenhouses. However, in this heat, neither the plants can form pollen, nor the bees can work," she added.