In this episode, AgroTroia's "Success in Agriculture" program was a guest in grower Kaner Altan's olive orchard in İzmir Torbalı. This conversation, attended by Umut Bey from AgroTroia management, agricultural engineer Simge Hanım, dealer and grower Cihan abi, and farmers from neighboring orchards, showed that a correct nutrition program in olives can both stop diseases and raise fruit quality. How orchards that shed leaves for years regained their crop was explained with real orchard examples.
An Olive Story in İzmir Torbalı
The orchard where the program was filmed is a sparkling olive grove in the Torbalı neighborhood, passed from grandfather to father and now meticulously cared for. The orchard owner explained that before meeting AgroTroia, sixty to seventy percent of his trees shed their leaves, that everywhere was covered with leaves when he drove around on the tractor, and that his morale was completely broken. After watching the programs and reaching out by phone, the team came to see the orchard on site; it was emphasized that coming to the field and examining the tree, rather than diagnosing from afar, is essential. One year after the first application, the grower said he obtained such a high crop for the first time, and from that day on he began to strictly follow the recommended annual program.
Fighting Peacock Spot and Olive Knot
In the region's rugged, humid lands by streams and the sea, peacock spot has been a serious problem over the last decade. Cihan abi recounted that in a thirty-decare old Memecik olive grove he experienced leaf drop every year, and that the damage was more intense in the wind-exposed hilltop sections. With a single AgroTroia product added to the spraying program, starting from the pre-flowering period, leaf drop was completely stopped; while neighboring orchards were left leafless, his own orchard stayed as green as spring. In a year when peacock spot set records across Turkey, not a single leaf dropping in this orchard proved the effect of the application. It was stated that olive knot could also be cleared with the same approach, while verticillium wilt demands more attention and care.
Fruit Size and Nutrition in Table Olives
The way to make money in table olives is through fruit size, that is, caliber. Engineer Simge Hanım and grower Yusuf explained that in this orchard the Force application mixed into the drip system markedly enlarged the fruit. Force is a high phosphorus and potassium drip fertilizer that acts in a short time; it supports fruit plumpness and table quality. It was reported that the result was reinforced with a second application a few days apart, and that the grower was striving to switch from oil production to table olives. In a market where low-caliber olives cannot even cover the labor cost, it was emphasized that enlarging the produce and obtaining plump fruit directly increases earnings.
The Importance of Irrigation and the Drip System
Because high phosphorus and potassium products such as Force increase the tree's water demand, they are primarily recommended in orchards with irrigation. It was stated that this product is a drip fertilizer, but those without the means can mix it into the soil and apply it at the base of the tree as well. It was explained that drip should always be preferred over flood irrigation; in recent years, with spring and autumn rains decreasing and drought increasing, working table and large-fruit olives on dry land has become almost impossible. In water-limited regions, it was recalled that olives can be directed toward oil, and that olive oil is also a valuable value-added product.
Counterfeit Products and Adulteration in Olive Oil
The program touched on growers who fell victim to counterfeit fertilizer: it was explained that all fertilizers sold in Turkey carry a Fertilizer Tracking System seal, and that in case of doubt the label can be scanned by phone to check the manufacturer, place, and date of production. It was emphasized that a wrong or counterfeit product costs the farmer a whole year. On the subject of adulteration in olive oil, practical tips were shared, such as the need to tighten inspections; that genuine olive oil freezes in the cold, and that hydrochloric acid dripped onto it changing color and foaming may indicate counterfeiting. It was stated that public institutions purchasing the olive oil in growers' hands would support the sector.
Featured AgroTroia products in this episode
- Force - high phosphorus-potassium nutrition given via drip for fruit size and plumpness in table olives
This orchard in Torbalı showed that even an olive grove that shed leaves from peacock spot for years can regain its crop with the right program. Success in olives comes from stopping the disease in time, setting up irrigation correctly, and supporting fruit size in every period. That those who set out with good people and a sound program come out of this business profitable was the program's strongest message.
Source: AgroTroia – "Success in Agriculture" program, sponsored by AgroTroia.