Tekfen Agri General Manager Emrah Ince said: “We aim to operate on an area of ​​approximately 415 thousand decares by 2023. With wheat, barley, bananas, potatoes and sesame at the focus, we will produce seeds, saplings and products without any diseases”.

Tekfen Agri grows with R & D

Tekfen Agri General Manager Emrah Ince has explained the objectives of Group in the field of agricultural production. Ince stated that they continue to produce seeds, seedlings and saplings for many products; and particularly potatoes, barley, wheat, bananas and sesame seeds. He said: “With a gradual increase, we aim to operate on an area of ​​approximately 415 thousand decares by 2023. With wheat, barley, bananas, potatoes and sesame at the focus, we will produce seeds, saplings and products without any diseases”. Ince also added: “In addition to our production of seeds, seedlings and saplings for the farmers; this year we will start production in Karaman on approximately 2,500 hectares of land for the end consumer.”

Long journey of production for healthy potatoes

Ince also mentioned the works they conduct on product basis. Ince explained the ongoing studies for ovary potatoes intended for producers and emphasized that the production studies for healthy and fertile potato seeds which started with tissue culture can only reach to the end users as a result of a lengthy process of 7 years. He said: “In our R & D center, we collect ovary potatoes cultivated with tissue culture from the field every season and store them in special wood crates in the underground cold store in Nevşehir until the next planting period. Our goal is to reduce the share of imports in this product and offer farmers local potato seeds”. Ince also said that they aim for the production of 5 thousand tons of potato seed by 2023.

The new target is sesame…

Tekfen Agri General Manager Emrah Ince stated that although 170 thousand tons of sesame is consumed in Turkey annually, the production of sesame is between about 17-20 thousand tons, and the remaining amount is met through import. Ince explained that they have been working to produce sesame which is suitable for mechanical harvest for about 2 years. He added: “We expect to obtain the registration in the beginning of 2020. We also aim local production for this product. Our goal is to reach 20 thousand tons of sesame production in 5 years”.

Tekfen will also improve the bananas of South America

Ince reminded that Tekfen Agri Adana Agripark R & D Center, is authorized by the Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Industry and Technology as an R & D center, and he stated that various national and international projects continue at the center. Ince emphasized that the 8.5 percent of annual turnover of Tekfen Agri is allocated for R & D and he added: “We continue with our improvement efforts in various areas such as barley breeding and potatoes, extending the shelf life of local bananas and to produce dragon fruit. In addition, we are taking part in the project of improving South American bananas through the fight against 9 different diseases with the UK-based company Tropic Biosciences, which Tekfen Ventures, one of our Tekfen Holding companies, has invested in”.

New investments are on the way, there will be fresh figs during 365 days

Emrah Ince has also explained the future plans and investments. Ince stated that they will invest in a modern storage facility in Polatlı and added: “Our investments in Techno-Agriculture are ongoing. 100 % of the fruit production and export company Alanar is now owned by Tekfen. We will make an additional investment of 160 million TRY to this brand, which exports fresh fruit and cherry and black figs to more than 30 countries in five continents and we will provide fresh figs for 365 days thanks to production in different locations throughout the world. In addition, we are building a fruit packaging facility in Manisa Ahmetli with an investment of 25 million TRY”. Ince added that Tekfen Agri aims to be the leader in its sector in the medium term.