Products Planted Within the Scope of the Local Sunflower Seed Development and Farmer Support Project in Konya Have Been Harvested

Turkey’s most popular sunflower oil, the Local Sunflower Seed Development and Farmer Support Project, which was started last year by Yudum and Seed Association, continues in Konya in its second year. Trial plantings were carried out in the application fields of Yağlıbayat village, Gözlü Agricultural Enterprise Directorate, and Bahri Dağdaş International Agricultural Research Institute in Konya.

The harvest was carried out in the Local Sunflower Seed Development and Farmer Support Project , which was initiated by Yudum, Turkey’s most popular sunflower oil and the leader of the sector, in cooperation with the Seed Association in Thrace last year and continues in Konya in its second year . With the project, Yudum and Seed Association aim to develop high-yield local sunflower seeds in Turkey, increase diversity and support farmers who grow sunflowers.

The first plantings in the Thrace region last year were followed by plantings in Konya this year as part of the Local Sunflower Seed Development and Farmer Support Project . The project is carried out with technical support from the Thrace Agricultural Research Institute Directorate (TTAE), the Bahri Dağdaş International Agricultural Research Institute Directorate, and the contributions of the Karatay Chamber of Agriculture .

The harvest ceremony of the project implemented in six different villages in Konya this year was hosted by Seed Association Board Chairman Musa Kaya and Savola Food Turkey General Manager Houmer Balazadeh, with the participation of
TAGEM General Manager Dr. Metin Türker, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Plant Production Deputy General Manager Ercan Türktemel, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Turkey Deputy Representative Ayşegül Selışık, Vegetable Oil Industrialists Association President Tahir Büyükhelvacıgil, Karatay Chamber of Agriculture President Rıfat Kavuneker and Konya farmers . The harvest ceremony held in Yağlıbayat village both gave hope for increasing domestic production and witnessed colorful scenes.

Within the scope of the Local Sunflower Seed Development and Farmer Support Project, 10 types of local seeds were planted and harvested in Tekirdağ Muratlı, Edirne Keşan and Istanbul Silivri districts of Thrace last year. These 10 types were evaluated in terms of performance parameters such as productivity and oil ratio after harvest.

 
As a result of the evaluations, the 5 varieties with the highest performance were determined. According to yield and oil ratios, the first 5 varieties were SUN 2259, M98CL88, ROSETA, IMI1810 and TR 2242CL.

These 5 varieties with performance above the accepted averages in the region and 5 new varieties developed this year were included in this year’s trial study. In this context, a total of 10 varieties of local sunflower seeds were planted in Yağlıbayat, Yenikent, Göçü, Ovakavağı, Yarma and Karakaya villages in Konya this year.

Women and young farmers were prioritized Within the scope of
the Local Sunflower Seed Development and Farmer Support Project, a farmer network was established with the participation of nearly 300 farmers, including farmers from Thrace last year and from Konya this year. Farmers in the farmer network were provided seed support in March of this year. While 70 farmers who received seed support were selected by lottery, priority was given to women, young people and those in need. In addition, farmers were provided face-to-face training and technical application support throughout the project.

The sociological dimension of the project is also one of its prominent features. Priority is given to supporting women and young farmers within the scope of the project. Supporting women farmers is seen as an important step in making the invisible labor of women in agriculture visible. Supporting young people who are moving away from farming, rural life and agriculture within the scope of the project is considered very valuable in terms of making agriculture attractive to young people.

All seeds are local and suitable for both dry and irrigated farming conditions.
All seed species planted within the scope of the project are local and have a yield capacity in both dry and irrigated farming conditions. The seeds are resistant to common diseases and are resistant to bird damage and sunburn, and their oil content is over 35%.

In the next phase of the project, trial plantings and seed support studies will be carried out in new demonstration areas using the top 5 domestic seed varieties in terms of yield. When the trials in the 3rd year of the project are completed, the most efficient seeds will be determined through tests and evaluations. Then, an application will be made to the Agricultural Registration and Certification Directorate affiliated to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and then the registration process will be initiated.

Participating in the harvest ceremony, Vegetable Oil Industrialists Association President Tahir Büyükhelvacıgil drew attention to the need to increase the number of studies such as the Local Sunflower Seed Development and Farmer Support Project in order to increase local production and strengthen farmers: “With such studies, it will be possible to increase our local production in the long term and reduce oilseed imports. In this context, its contribution to our economy is undeniable. I have full faith that the Local Sunflower Seed Development and Farmer Support Project will achieve successful results. The public, civil society and industry came together in the project; they developed the project and put it into practice together with the hard-working and devoted farmers of this country. From the private sector, ‘Savola Gıda Türkiye’, as a civil society organization, ‘Toğmur Eğitim Kültür ve Doğa Derneği’, and from the public sector, ‘Agricultural Research Institutes’ and ‘Chamber of Agriculture Presidencies’ are working together on this project. Finally, the first year productivity analyses that Musa Bey shared also show that very successful business results will emerge. Providing seed, training and technical application support to farmers who grow sunflower within the scope of the project is also one of the milestones in increasing our domestic production. In fact, I was pleased to learn that women and young people were given priority when selecting farmers who received seed support. I congratulate and thank all project stakeholders for this approach.”

The project is based on sustainability
The project is based on sustainability in a way that will increase local production with local seeds and support farmers in every sense. Seed Association Board Chairman Musa Kaya also shared the results of last year’s planting at the harvest ceremony and said the following: “As the Seed Association, we are trying to develop and implement projects that support nature, agriculture and farmers. The Local Sunflower Seed Development and Farmer Support Project that we launched with Savola Gıda Türkiye last year was a first in the sector. With the project, we aim to develop sunflower seeds in our country and obtain high-quality local varieties in terms of yield and quality. After last year’s harvest, the varieties were evaluated in terms of yield and oil amounts and the 5 highest-performing varieties were determined. This year, in addition to these 5 varieties, demonstration plantings were carried out in Konya with the support of our leading farmers with 5 new varieties developed. We are very happy to implement our project with Konya farmers this year and to harvest together today. After today’s harvest, a productivity analysis will be applied to the trial varieties. Local seeds with proven productivity will be registered and added to our local production. It is very valuable for us to have Yudum, the industry leader, by our side in our projects that will contribute to our country’s economy and our farmers.”

“As Yudum, we will continue to work to increase local production and support our farmers.”
Savola Gıda Turkey General Manager Houmer Balazadeh stated in his speech at the harvest ceremony that he was pleased with the results of the planting they carried out with farmers in Konya this year in cooperation with the Tohum Association: “Last year, we took an important step with our Yudum brand and Tohum Association in the Local Sunflower Seed Development and Farmer Support Project in the Thrace region . This project will be a turning point in terms of developing high-yield local seeds and increasing diversity in Turkey. We are happy and proud to continue the project we started in Thrace with our farmers in Konya, one of the most important agricultural centers of Turkey. Our valuable farmers have taken a very important step for Turkish agriculture and sunflower production by taking part in this project. We have a plan to move this project to another important agricultural center of Turkey, Adana Çukurova, next year. We will be moving it to other regions of Turkey in the following years.”

About Tohum Association:
Tohum Education Culture and Nature Association is a non-governmental organization that aims to contribute to the national economy and employment by developing and implementing projects and programs on environmental issues such as the protection and development of the terrestrial ecosystem and sustainable resource use in natural resource management.

For sustainable natural resource management; it aims to contribute to the field by preparing social responsibility projects, collaborations, programs, projects and trainings focused on environmental issues and problems, respecting human, social and cultural values ​​in the light of science, technology and experience and in cooperation with all relevant parties.

About Savola Gıda Turkey:
Yudum Gıda, the leader of the Turkish liquid oil sector, first started production in 1975 in the Istanbul Haliç factory. With the relocation of the factory to Ayvalık in 1984, it increased its production volume in olive oil as well as edible sunflower and corn oil with new investments. The company title was changed to Savola Gıda Turkey in 2017. The company reinforced its expert and strong stance in the olive oil market by launching the Egemden brand in 2017. Savola Gıda, which has been producing the most preferred liquid oils in Turkey in the liquid oil market with the Yudum, Egemden and Sırma brands for years, has an annual production capacity of its factory in Ayvalık, built on an open area of ​​24,000 m2, with 150,000 tons for corn oil and sunflower oil and 20,000 tons for olive oil. Savola Gıda continues its investments in Turkey without slowing down; With its high technology, it launched its new margarine production facility in April 2018 and entered the industrial and pastry oils market with the Sava and Vala brands. With the aim of increasing domestic production and supporting farmers, the company launched the Local Sunflower Seed Development and Farmer Support Project in 2021 in cooperation with the Tohum Association, and this year, it launched the Grafting of Delice Olives to the Economy and Supporting Farmers Project to bring wild olive trees into the economy and for the use of farmers.