Malatya, known as the apricot city, is now becoming a hub for banana cultivation as well. Local farmers in Malatya are aiming to expand their greenhouse areas to grow bananas in the city. In Kadıçayır neighborhood of Battalgazi district, farmers who are engaged in horticulture have been successful in growing bananas from seedlings brought from Anamur district in Mersin for experimentation.
Malatya, which is recognized as the world capital of apricots, has now seen a new initiative by local farmers to cultivate different types of fruits. These farmers from Malatya decided to try growing banana seedlings from Anamur district. In a greenhouse area of 50 square meters, farmers Nurettin Çarpıcı and Aziz Haliloğlu planted 18 banana seedlings over a year ago, and they are now preparing to harvest their first yield in the coming days.
Technical teams from the Agriculture Provincial and District Directorates visited the banana greenhouse to examine the cultivation process. Nurettin Çarpıcı, one of the farmers, mentioned that the seedlings were brought from Anamur and planted in Malatya. The seedlings, which were half a meter tall when they arrived, have now exceeded 3 meters in height. The planting took place in May 2023, and the bananas started to bear fruit slowly in May and June of the same year. Some of the fruits are starting to turn yellow, while new fruits are also emerging. If the yield is successful, the farmers plan to expand their greenhouse to a larger area.
Aziz Haliloğlu, who has joined Nurettin Çarpıcı in this venture, stated that they are nearing the end of the experimental banana cultivation. They expressed their desire to produce bananas on a larger scale in Malatya with the support of the provincial and district agriculture directorates if the yield is of high quality.
The farmers’ initiative to grow bananas in Malatya showcases their dedication to exploring new possibilities in agriculture and diversifying the region’s fruit production. As they prepare to harvest their first batch of bananas, the success of this endeavor could lead to further expansion and development of banana cultivation in the apricot city.