The Anamur district of Mersin is responsible for 40% of Turkey’s strawberry and banana production. The whole district is covered with greenhouses and from the bird’s view, it is a fascinating sight as the number of greenhouses far outnumbers the number of houses in the area.
The growers in Anamur grow around 250.000 tons of bananas annually whereas the rest of the Turkish growers grow around 400.000 tons. There are around 3.000 greenhouses in the Anamur district.
The growers have also founded an association, Anamur Banana Growers Association (MUZBİR). The Association’s Chairman Hasan Catkaya: “The banana production volume in Turkey has increased tenfold in the last decade. The production volume was around 50.000 tons annually in 2009. Banana growers are extremely satisfied with the support, incentive and funding programs offered by the Ministry of Agriculture, the state banks and Ministry of Commerce. However, we need to realize that we might soon have an excess supply problem.
Anamur district is located right between the coast and the mountains hence it has very high oxygen levels. Additionally, humidity is also high in the area. Almost 90 % of the population in the district earns their living directly or indirectly from banana and strawberry production.”
Source: Timeturk
