Saffron production in Mersin Yenişehir has entered its 4th year.

The saffron harvested this year was produced as part of the Değirmençay Saffron Cultivation Project implemented in 2021 in collaboration with Mersin’s central district Yenişehir Municipality and the Yenişehir District Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry.

Yenişehir Municipality continues its efforts to ensure the cultivation of alternative products in the district and to support producers. The Değirmençay Saffron Cultivation Project, which aims to obtain high value-added products in Yenişehir, has entered its fourth year. The saffron harvest in Değirmençay Neighborhood was attended by Yenişehir Mayor Abdullah Özyiğit, TMMOB Chamber of Agricultural Engineers President Baki Remzi Suiçmez, Mersin Chamber of Agriculture President Musa Yılmaz, District Director of Agriculture and Forestry Ahmet Ömer Kahyaoğlu, Değirmençay Neighborhood Muhtar Rıdvan Işık, municipal council members, producers, and citizens. After the harvest, saffron rice was also served to citizens by Yenişehir Municipality.

“We can become one of the districts that produce the most saffron in Turkey”

Mayor Özyiğit stated that there are not wide agricultural lands in Yenişehir and that they are making efforts to grow products that can achieve high yields in a limited area, mentioning that saffron production is an example of this. He emphasized their goal of becoming one of the districts with significant saffron production in Turkey, saying, “We started this project 4 years ago. We have received good results, and we know this will lead us to new steps. We will fulfill the necessary requirements. Yenişehir does not have wide agricultural lands compared to other districts, but we are on fertile soil. We should plant products in limited areas that yield higher outputs. There are times when citrus producers cannot earn income from their products. We have producers who are close to uprooting their orchards. As administrators, we have a duty to pave the way in this regard. This valuable project is an example of that. In Safranbolu, the annual saffron yield is around 30-35 kilograms. If we use the increasing saffron bulbs properly in Yenişehir, we could become one of the districts that produce the most saffron in Turkey,” he said.

Özyiğit also mentioned that they have established a bee pasture and will work on medicinal aromatic plants, stating, “Through the Yenişehir Agricultural Development Cooperative we established, we have completed our bee pasture work covering 600 decares in Değirmençay. We have created an area for 600 beehives. We planted flowering plants that will bloom for 11 months of the year, creating an area for the bees to be fed. Additionally, we also have projects to produce medicinal aromatic plants through our cooperatives in the same region.”

“The year 2025 will be very important for Yenişehir”

Mayor Özyiğit announced that they declared 2025 as the ‘Year of Green Yenişehir’ and provided information about the studies they will carry out in this context, emphasizing their use of artificial intelligence: “We need to protect nature and the environment. We must pay great attention to water. We became the first district municipality in Turkey to prepare a zero-emission action plan for 2050. We have created a digital twin of Yenişehir. We are working with artificial intelligence. We are the first municipality in Turkey to do this. We are measuring which trees will be more beneficial in which regions. We are cleaning and planting trees in the area by the Öksüz Stream. While selecting the trees to plant here, we conducted measurements using artificial intelligence. We found that the carob tree is the most suitable type. We will plant carob trees there. While preparing our strategic plan, we declared 2025 as the ‘Year of Green Yenişehir.’ We plan how to combine the Green Taurus Mountains with the blue Mediterranean and what actions we will take. We have institutions to cooperate with. We are planning what actions to take to create a greener, more livable Yenişehir. The year 2025 will be very important for Yenişehir. We must be careful about our surroundings, nature, and climate. We will continue to produce. We are producing worm fertilizer. We distribute it to our rural neighborhoods. We need to revitalize production, but while doing this, we must also develop environmentally friendly methods, moving away from chemicals.”

Yenişehir District Director of Agriculture and Forestry Ahmet Ömer Kahyaoğlu also spoke about the importance of the project and stated that they will continue to support producers.