Tuz Lake drives Türkiye’s salt exports to over 50 countries

ANKARA

Located around 150 kilometers from the capital Ankara, Tuz Lake is not only Türkiye’s second-largest lake but also home to some of the country’s richest salt reserves.

Spanning an area of 1,665 square kilometers, the lake produces salt that is exported to more than 50 countries, making it a vital contributor to Türkiye’s economy.

“It’s an area of natural richness, and it offers a great opportunity for our country,” said Ömer Çetiner, the general manager of a salt-producing company.

The salt-rich lake benefits from its unique geography. Its closed basin prevents water from flowing out, allowing a natural evaporation process that leaves thick salt deposits.

The process of salt formation at Tuz Lake is entirely natural. During the winter, rain and snow dissolve minerals from surrounding rocks, which flow into the lake. As temperatures rise in the summer, the water evaporates, leaving behind layers of salt ready for collection.

“We cut the salt that forms each year similar to how farmers harvest crops,” Çetiner explained.

This year the planned harvest is about 1.5 million tons, with the team already halfway through the collection process, which started in August and is expected to wrap up by mid-November.

Approximately half of the lake’s salt production is exported.

Tuz Lake produces about 70 percent of Türkiye’s salt, with the remaining 30 percent coming from sea salt in İzmir, a city in the west of the country, and rock salt.

One of the key advantages of the salt from Tuz Lake is its purity. Çetiner noted, “The lake is clean, free from pollution and it’s an organic source. Hypersaline lakes like this are very rare.”

The purity of the lake’s salt makes it especially valuable for industries requiring precise standards, such as the detergent sector, which uses mechanically refined salt.

This year, the lake is expected to produce around 400,000 tons of refined salt.

The raw, unprocessed salt is also supplied to municipalities and institutions for winter road treatment to prevent icing.

While salt is the primary resource extracted from Tuz Lake, it also holds significance in terms of biodiversity and tourism.

Each year, the lake attracts tourists who come to see its strikingly white salt flats and bird species, such as flamingos, that flock to the area.

For now, the focus remains on the harvest. “We’re in the middle of a productive season, and everything is on track,” Çetiner said.

“We will export 50 percent of the products we obtain here to more than 50 countries in the world.”