A small village in Isparta, a city located in western Turkey is contributing significantly to the national economy by growing 7.5 million USD worth of tomatoes annually. These tomatoes are not only sold to local markets but also exported to Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
The production area was known for its cut flower production however since 2004, tomato production has become more prominent in the area. The production area for tomatoes is around 140 hectares where they receive around 150 tons per hectares and grow around 21,000 tons of tomatoes annually.
The growers access export markets through 3 major exporters and slowly the European market has been explored as an additional export destination.
The growers note that their biggest problem is finding labor during harvest time and they usually had to employ Syrian immigrants to solve their labor shortage problems.
The growers are proud of the quality of the products but some are dissatisfied with their profit margins especially when it comes to the products sold to the domestic market.