In Sirnak's Silopi area, infrastructure for the Silopi Greenhouse Organized Agricultural Zone has started. On a 94.6-hectare plot in the Basverimli district, about 11 kilometers from the Habur Border Gate, the Silopi Greenhouse Organized Agricultural Zone is being developed under the direction of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, in cooperation with the Special Provincial Administration and the Sirnak Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Superstructure construction is expected to be finished by the middle of next year, while infrastructure work in the area, which is being done with heavy machinery, is expected to be finished by the end of this year.
The Silopi Greenhouse Organized Agricultural Zone aims to supply the veggies to the domestic market and export them to Iraq. "The project to bring the Silopi Greenhouse Organized Agricultural Zone to the city has been included in the investment program and supported by the Presidency's Strategy and Budget Directorate," said Oktay Sezgin, the provincial director of agriculture and forestry. Sezgin noted that this initiative aims to increase output, employment, investment, and exports, and that 750 of the 1,000 people who will work in the greenhouses will be women. "Our district will achieve robust production due to its climate, which is ideal for greenhouse farming," Sezgin stated. We will have the chance to sell the veggies grown here to our provinces and districts, as well as the Iraqi market. Our province and region will benefit economically greatly from the initiative."
Sezgin clarified that rainfall, wastewater, and electrical lines had been constructed as part of the ongoing infrastructure work that started a month ago and would continue until the end of the year. According to Sezgin, the construction of greenhouses will be finished in the new year. He said that 75 % of the space will be devoted to greenhouses, with the remaining space being used for commercial buildings, treatment plants, wastewater storage, and industrial plots. Sezgin also noted: "The distance between the Habur Border Gate and the Silopi Greenhouse Organized Agricultural Zone is 11 kilometers. We hope to positively contribute to the regional economy and employment by building strong production here."
According to Osman Gelis, president of the Sirnak Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Silopi will greatly benefit from the initiative. Gelis said the project will allow vegetable production in the district's fertile lands and that infrastructure work is moving quickly. "Silopi has extremely fertile soil, abundant sunshine, and abundant water," Gelis said, underscoring the project's significance for women and young entrepreneurs looking for work.
Gelis added, "Vegetables were brought to the area from other cities such as Antalya and Mersin, but we will soon grow and eat our own vegetables in Silopi. Additionally, we are thinking about shipping our extra produce to Iraq, which is located nearby".
Local official Abdulcabbar Kert echoed the same sentiments and noted, "Our people are forced to travel to western provinces during the summer months. Now, bout 1,000 people will be able to work near their homes and communities after this initiative, eliminating the need to travel to neighboring provinces. We express our gratitude to all those who made this project happen."
Source: Halk TV
