In the last decade, many growers in Mugla, Turkey turned to greenhouse banana production due to the low production costs. Harvest time has started in the greenhouses on an area of approximately 120 hectares. This year, a total yield of 9 thousand tons is expected from these greenhouses in Mugla.
Mugla is a well-known tourist destination, but it continues to make a name for itself in the field of agriculture as well. Farmers started to search for more profitable alternative products to save on production costs. Something that has received a great deal of interest is banana cultivation in greenhouses, as this provides advantages in terms of production and labor costs. In the Southern Aegean region, on the coastline where the Mediterranean climate is dominant, bananas are cultivated in greenhouses in locations with microclimate characteristics, especially in the districts of Seydikemer, Fethiye, Dalaman, and Milas.
The banana production in greenhouses is closely monitored by the Mugla Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry and technical support is provided to the producers. In addition, training sessions are organized for growers in these districts.
Grower Mustafa Buyukaydin has just established a greenhouse to produce bananas in Fethiye Patlangin District. The teams of the Fethiye District Agriculture and Forestry Directorate supported him by providing technical information about banana production. His greenhouse is 12.400 square meters, and by now, the growers has started harvesting. He expects that he will be able to harvest approximately 8 tons of bananas.
Mugla Agriculture and Forestry Provincial Director Baris Saylak said that the demand for banana cultivation has increased. "The minimal requirement of the labor force in tropical fruit cultivation has an important effect on the rising popularity of greenhouse banana production. For example, while the labor cost of vegetables such as greenhouse tomatoes, peppers, eggplants is 35%, the labor cost in banana cultivation is around 10%. The fact that the production costs are lower, and the sales prices of tropical fruits are high, increased the interest in tropical fruit cultivation. In our province, we tried to maximize greenhouse banana production by providing support to the growers. We are also planning training sessions on tropical fruit and banana cultivation in our districts," he said.
Source: Sabah