Harvest of 'white gold' cotton has started in Adana

The harvest of cotton, which is described as 'white gold', has started in Adana, where Türkiye's first early cotton grows, and which has been the subject of movies and novels with the cotton lords who own vast agricultural lands.

Cotton, which has started to be harvested in areas close to the sea in Karataş district, provides raw material for textiles with its fiber, for the oil and feed industry with its seed, for the paper industry with its linter, and for the livestock sector with its pulp.

Adana ranks fifth in terms of production in cotton, which is one of the leading strategic products.

Due to the increase in product diversity in the Çukurova region, the decrease in cotton prices and the increase in input costs, cotton cultivation decreased to 58 thousand decares of land this year.

Farmers in the Çukurova region, whose fields will not grow anything other than cotton, contribute to the agricultural income by planting only cotton.

Approximately 230 thousand tons of cotton harvest is expected in Adana this year.

"WE EXPECT THE SUPPORT TO INCREASE"

Speaking to the İHA reporter during the harvest, Yüreğir Chamber of Agriculture President Mehmet Akın Doğan said, "Since we cannot increase the customs duties on cotton, domestic market cotton prices are directly affected by world cotton prices. Currently, 1,652 liras are given per acre for cotton. We expect this support to be increased further."

"WE EXPECT POSITIVE DISCRIMINATION"

Stating that cotton is cultivated only in Ceyhan and Karataş provinces of Adana, Doğan said, "Our farmers plant cotton in Karataş and Ceyhan regions, where it is barren and no product grows. However, if you plant a product for two years, you cannot receive support when you plant the same product in the third year. But wheat and sunflower do not grow here. Therefore, we expect a positive discrimination in these regions."

"FARMERS EARN AS MUCH AS THE SUPPORT GIVEN"

Stating that cotton is 40 liras per kilogram, Doğan said, "Our farmers expect 400 kilograms of product from here. It costs 15 thousand liras per decare. When our farmers buy 400 kilograms from here, the current market prices are 40 liras and 16 thousand liras. However, our farmers earn as much money as the support given."