Diyarbakır pistachio harvest: Producers are satisfied with the yield

The harvest is ongoing for pistachios in Diyarbakır, and the producer is satisfied with the yield compared to last year.

Pistachios, which contribute to the economy of Diyarbakır, continue to spread in the Çınar district. Nearly 1,000 acres of pistachio trees have been planted in the district, with the harvest process currently underway on 150 acres.

Pistachio producer Mehmet Salih Arzu, who has been in the business for approximately 35 years, told the İHA correspondent that they currently have pistachios on 150 acres and are also working on new orchards.

Arzu mentioned that new orchards have been established in the last three years, with around 1,000 acres of land now used for pistachios in Çınar. Older orchards cover 300-400 acres. "We are currently harvesting on 150 acres. We've been harvesting for the past three days. The yield is better compared to last year, averaging 100-150 kilograms per acre, which translates to 7 to 10 kilograms per tree," he said.

Arzu expressed some difficulties, stating, "After the harvest, we have to send the pistachios to Gaziantep. When we send them to Gaziantep, we have to sell them at the price they offer and come back." He added, "Because we don't have sorting and packaging facilities here, we collect and transport the pistachios there. They have the facilities and drying systems there. If we had such facilities here, we wouldn't sell the pistachios cheaply. We've established new orchards to spread pistachios in the region. Why not Diyarbakır pistachios instead of Gaziantep pistachios?"

Arzu also noted that they face issues with barren and unproductive land. "To make use of these lands, spreading pistachio cultivation is a good thing. Since pistachio harvesting is not widespread in the region, it needs to be done by experienced individuals. That's why we bring workers from Şanlıurfa. They perform skilled work, which impacts the yield for the next year. Unskilled workers can damage the trees. We have about 30-35 workers working daily. This harvest will last 3-4 days. We know that our pistachios are of higher quality compared to those from Şanlıurfa and Siirt. Our orchards include both Siirt and Şanlıurfa varieties, created through grafting from nearby regions," he said.