Blueberries planted 3 years ago in idle fields in Bilecik started to bear fruit

Within the scope of the "Dissemination of Blueberry Production" project implemented by the Turkiye's Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry 3 years ago with 50 percent grant support, 15 thousand blueberry seedlings were planted on 50 acres of idle fields in the district.

The planted area of blueberries, which started to be grown in order to create an alternative to hops, which are widely produced in the region, has reached 100 acres as of this year.

The saplings planted in November 2021 started to bear fruit for the first time this year, and the prices and yield are to make the producers happy.

Blueberries are offered for sale in various chain markets in Istanbul, Samsun, Eskişehir, Trabzon and Bursa after being collected and packaged in a facility in Bursa's İnegöl district.
"Our producers will be happy"

Pazaryeri Mayor Zekiye Tekin told AA correspondent that they started blueberry production, in order to bring new agricultural products to the district.

In this context, Tekin, who reminded that they made trial planting in the region with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry 3 years ago, said:

"Today, we started collecting blueberries. This area where we planted them is at an altitude of thousand meters. At the same time, the pH level of the soil is very suitable for this plant. Due to its altitude, the antioxidant properties of the fruit are very high. Our Ministry, Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, District Governorship and Municipality will continue to support our farmers. In this way, I hope our producers will be happy."

With regular care, the plants can yield up to 3 tons of product per acre.

Provincial Director of Agriculture and Forestry Necmettin Yoldaş stated that blueberries are an alternative to hops in the district.

Stating that the pH of the soil should be below 5 for high yields and that the soil structure in the region is suitable for this, Yoldaş said, "Our farmers are happy. In the following years, as the seedlings grow, if they are regularly maintained, 1.5 to 3 tons of product can be obtained from the acre. This means a big profit for our farmers."

Melike Hediye Korkmaz, one of the producers, stated that they planted blueberries on 16 acres of their land 3 years ago, and then increased this area to 22 acres.

Stating that they achieved good yields with regular maintenance and pruning, Korkmaz added that tourists liked the taste of the product.