Turkish tomato exporter looks to hot springs to lead world market
Agrobay, a company based in Dikili-Bergama in the Aegean province of İzmir, currently produces 15,000 tons of tomatoes from greenhouses that utilize thermal waters dotted across western Turkey.
The Dikili-Bergama region sits on one of hundreds of geothermal fields where underground waters can reach temperatures of up to 549 F (287 C), according to Stanford University in the U.S.
Arzu Şentürk’s father Hasan initially founded Hasanbey Farm as an organic garden following a trip to the Netherlands in 2001. He subsequently constructed greenhouses on its 15 acres.
“The investment, which started with 15 acres of land in 2001, at a time when there were no geothermal greenhouses in Turkey, has reached 173 acres today, making it the largest in Europe and the second largest in the world after Mexico,” Arzu Şentürk told Anadolu Agency, adding that she aimed to increase the total land area to 247 acres to boost production and exports.
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