Blueberry Cultivation Proposed in TRNC

There's a proposal to start cultivating blueberries in the TRNC. Research is already underway to assess the feasibility of growing this fruit on the island.

Jem Karadja, Director of the Institute of Agricultural Research (TAE), stated that blueberries could serve as an alternative agricultural product for the country. A trial batch is expected to be initiated soon.

During a presentation to TRNC producers, a Turkish expert highlighted the high demand for blueberries due to their rich antioxidant content and wide application in the healthcare industry. He also noted that blueberries require only one-fifth of the water needed to be compared to other berries.

When evaluating the island's suitability for blueberry cultivation, scientists identified two key factors:

1. The need for chilling – the minimum period of cold weather required for fruit-bearing trees to bloom.
2. Identifying regions on the map that meet the chilling requirements.

For their trials, scientists selected blueberry varieties with low chilling requirements, believing that suitable varieties could be successfully grown in the TRNC. The lowest chilling requirement among blueberry varieties is 200 hours. According to the island's heat map, Eşilermak and Mehmetcik cannot meet this requirement, while Güzelürt and Esentepe can.

The Turkish expert added that blueberry bushes have shallow roots (25-30 cm) and require significantly less water than citrus fruits. While a quarter acre of citrus requires 1000 tons of water, blueberries require only 200 tons.

Additionally, the blueberry variety focused on by scientists is early-ripening and does not require pest control.

Burhanettin Imrak emphasized the importance of offering producers alternative products, including early and high-quality varieties.

“We need to supply regions with sufficient chilling, especially Güzelürt, with new varieties. These could be apricots, plums, peaches, nectarines, or blueberries. There are nectarine varieties that ripen by April 15th. We need to consider these options,” the expert said.

Jem Karadja also stressed the need for the efficient use of water from Turkey and suggested that producers identify alternative crops.

“We have conducted trials of nectarine, avocado, olive, peach, plum, apricot, and cherry varieties and can assist producers with this. We have begun preparations to establish a trial area for blueberries in the upcoming planting season,” the scientist said.

Read also: Where to go for fresh strawberries?