Tomatoes grown in geothermal greenhouses in the district of Sandikli in Afyonkarahisar (Turkey) with hydroponic production are exported to big cities domestically and to many countries in Europe as well as Russia, Germany, and the Netherlands.
Tomatoes are produced with hydroponic production in 30 different greenhouses ranging from 2 to 12 hectares heated by geothermal water, with a total size of 160 hectares in the district of Sandikli. The tomato harvest that started in March in the greenhouses continues. An average of 45-60 tons of tomatoes are obtained annually from 1,000 square meters. Tomatoes collected from greenhouses are sent to many cities in the domestic market, especially Ankara, Istanbul, and Bursa, while they are exported to Russia and European countries in the foreign market.
President of Sandikli Chamber of Agriculture Fatma Toptas: "We are very pleased with our geothermal greenhouses, which contribute greatly to our district and the economy of our country. Production is carried out for 12 months of the year and it creates a lot of jobs in the area. We hope that these greenhouses will expand further. Women workers are working in these greenhouses. When we did not have greenhouses, our women were unemployed at home. Now there is no shortage of jobs for women in our district.”
Local agricultural engineer Medet Sarikaya: "Sandikli is a cold region, but we do greenhouse cultivation by heating it with geothermal water. We can produce both in summer and in winter. The reason why this place is more advantageous than Antalya is that the summers are a little cooler. We can also produce in winter."
Source: Dogru Haber