1 million 200 thousand lavender seedlings distributed to farmers by Konya Metropolitan Municipality were brought together with the soil.
According to the statement made by Konya Metropolitan Municipality; In order to encourage the cultivation of alternative crops in rural areas in Konya and to support the farmer, lavender will now be grown on lands with low rainfall and no irrigation.
There are approximately 12 thousand decares of lavender production area in Turkey by 2020. With this support, planting 720000 m2 of land is of great importance both in terms of utilizing barren lands and supporting lavender production.
Mayor of Konya Metropolitan Municipality Uğur İbrahim Altay, stated that they are working in order to make Güneysınır district of Konya as the center of lavender. He uttered that "The total cost of lavender seedlings we distribute to our citizens in Güneysınır is 1.7 million Turkish lira. Thus, we aim to develop the tourism of the district with the production of lavender oil, lavender flower and honey with high added value. We want to make an additional profit to our farmers with lavender production, especially in regions with little rainfall and in areas that cannot be irrigated. Altay reminded that together with the Konya Plain Project (KOP) Regional Development Administration a distillation center was built at a cost of 1.8 million TL in Güneysınır. Altay emphasized that this system will start operating in the spring of 2021. Konya Metropolitan Municipality has also brought a lavender seedling planting machine to Güneysınır district where lavender is grown. In addition, a joint lavender application garden was established in an area of 150 thousand m2 by Güneysınır Municipality to welcome the visitors.
