In south-eastern Türkiye, where strawberries were once dismissed as impossible to grow, one farmer has proved otherwise.
Ahmet Vural’s journey into strawberry farming began far from his home district of Viranşehir, in Şanlıurfa province. He first learned the trade while working in Antalya, a region known for its intensive agriculture.
After five years of hands-on experience, Vural returned home with a clear ambition: to grow strawberries in a place where many believed the soil and climate made it unviable.
Local scepticism was widespread. Neighbours warned that strawberries would fail in the region’s conditions, while others urged him to abandon what they described as a risky venture. Vural pressed ahead regardless.
Working alongside agricultural engineer Mustafa Tiler, he set up a small experimental greenhouse in the rural area of Eskikale last year. The trial quickly delivered unexpected results.
The strawberries were not only high-yielding but also rich in flavour and aroma. Encouraged by the outcome, Vural expanded production this year to around 60 acres across eight separate sites.
“We sell our strawberries to nearby provinces,” Vural said. “Traders, especially from Urfa, Mardin, Diyarbakır, Gaziantep and Kahramanmaraş, actively request our products. The reason is clear: our strawberries have excellent taste and aroma.
“Strawberries are generally a delicate fruit, and softness can shorten their lifespan. However, we have seen that strawberries grown in our region are firmer and have a longer shelf life.”
The project has also created new jobs in the area. About 60 people are now employed in the greenhouses, many of them women, providing a valuable source of income for local families.
Berfin Vural, who also works as a farmer in the strawberry greenhouses, said the success had exceeded expectations.
“We never imagined such a crop was possible, but it became a reality,” she said. “It feels like a miracle.”
What began as a personal experiment is now reshaping local attitudes. Farmers from across the region are contacting Vural for advice, hoping to replicate his success and signalling a potential shift in both agriculture and economic opportunity in the area.
Pakistan says it has killed 26 militants in strikes on terrorist hideouts along the Afghan border, marking the most significant escalation between the...
Canada’s Privacy Commissioner has found that xAI’s Grok chatbot and its parent company X Corp. violated federal privacy law by launching an AI ima...
China's foreign ministry announced on Thursday that it had imposed sanctions on Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and his immediate family...
The United States launched overnight strikes on military targets across Iran, as President Donald Trump warns of further attacks unless a peace deal i...
Conditions of a climate pattern El Niño have officially developed and are expected to strengthen through the Northern Hemisphere winter of 2026-27,...
Mexico and South Africa meet in Thursday’s World Cup opener in Mexico City, with both teams approaching the match from very different positions but facing their own pressures.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry says 19 citizens have been repatriated following a deadly drone attack on two cargo ships in the Sea of Azov on 5 June.
The Pakistani city of Karachi is struggling under severe heat and humidity as the country enters a prolonged heatwave period. The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has warned of above-normal temperatures across much of the country between 7 and 12 June.
Ukraine's military said it struck a Russian "shadow fleet" tanker in the Black Sea as part of ongoing efforts to disrupt Moscow's energy and logistics networks. The move underscores Kyiv's focus on targeting maritime assets it says are used to bypass sanctions on Russian oil exports.
U.S. forces say they have completed strikes on Iranian military sites near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran responded with missile attacks on an American base in Jordan, marking a sharp escalation in tensions between the two sides.
More than a third of Belgium’s population now has a foreign background, according to new figures released by the national statistics office, Statbel. The data show that around 4.34 million of the country’s nearly 11.7 million residents do not have an entirely Belgian background.
Fuel stations across the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula ran dry on Thursday as Ukraine stepped up attacks on supply routes to the region.
Pakistan says it has killed 26 militants in strikes on terrorist hideouts along the Afghan border, marking the most significant escalation between the neighbouring countries since a China-brokered diplomatic effort helped ease tensions earlier this year.
Canada’s Privacy Commissioner has found that xAI’s Grok chatbot and its parent company X Corp. violated federal privacy law by launching an AI image-generation tool without adequate safeguards, enabling the creation and distribution of non-consensual sexualised deepfakes.
China's foreign ministry announced on Thursday that it had imposed sanctions on Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and his immediate family, accusing him of repeatedly making remarks that undermined China's "legitimate interests" and bilateral relations.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment