Fruit orchards in Lapseki herald productive season
THE ORCHARDS in the Lapseki district of Çanakkale, one of the country’s most important fruit production centers in the western part of the country, are instilling hope in producers for a fruitful season with their cherry blossom-like scenery that resembles Japanese Sakura trees.
Sakura trees, representing beauty and rebirth in Japanese culture, have adorned nature, streets and avenues with their blossoms as of April. Similarly, the fruit orchards in Lapseki district have infused nature with vibrant colors during the same period, captivating onlookers with their flowers in various shades of white and pink.
This vitality in the orchards signals a bountiful harvest season for the farmers.
Ali Kaçan, the district director of agriculture and forestry in Lapseki, mentioned that cherry, peach, nectarine and apricot trees have blossomed with the arrival of spring.
“The weather conditions and environmental factors are all progressing in favor of the producers. Hopefully, our yield will be satisfactory,” Kaçan said, expressing producers’ expectations for high-quality fruits this year.
“Here, we have an area of 35,000-40,000 hectares, with a production of 110,000120,000 tons of peaches and nectarines. With these figures, Lapseki is Türkiye’s leading producer. This aspect makes Lapseki a notable district. Lapseki peaches have received geographical indication status as a product. Therefore, it has distinguished itself from other regions. The reason for its distinctiveness lies in its ecosystem, soil structure and mild breezes, indicating transitional climate characteristics. Most importantly, all the producers who know what and how to produce are in Lapseki. As the District Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, we are doing our best to produce beautiful peaches and nectarines,” Kaçan said.
He added that there are nearly 2,000 registered producers in the district, and with the unregistered ones, the number approaches 3,000.
Stating that Lapseki could be referred to as the country’s fruit production hub, Kaçan said: “Locally, the domestic consumers await Lapseki products to be on our stands. Istanbul is at the forefront of this. Exporters, having tasted our flavor and sensed it on their palate, aim to introduce these products to individuals who appreciate this taste worldwide. From that perspective, fruit is everything to us. Lapseki is a district that sustains itself through fruit farming.”
Kaçan added that considering favorable temperatures, rainfall and soil structure, they anticipate producing 120,000-130,000 tons of peaches and nectarines this year.
Ahmet Aksoy, a fruit producer cultivating orchards on 75 acres in Lapseki, mentioned that trees in the orchards have bloomed, with some varieties even setting fruit.
“We are having a very colorful, beautiful year. The weather conditions are favorable. The absence of frost or freezing temperatures is an advantage for us. We anticipate a good year.”
“We struggle when confined to the domestic market. Hopefully, this year, there will be exports and all our farmers will have smiles on their faces,” Aksoy added.