Mehmet Daldal

Narice, Turkey

Hi, I’m Mehmet Daldal and I grow organic pomegranates for Nature & More in Turkey. Our company is called Narice and we are one of the very few organic pomegranate growers around. Thank you for buying our pomegranates, I hope you enjoy this beautiful and healthy fruit!

Our company, Narice, is located in the west of Turkey, near the cities of Söke and Aydin. Since my childhood I always loved to be out in nature, in green fields with fresh air, but I was also interested in technical stuff. So I was happy to study agricultural engineering in Izmir, Turkey. Our pomegranate business started to develop in 2005 when agriculture in this area has changed and more orchards were planted. In 2007 we converted to organic farming. Today we have four farms in the area working with us. Apart from fresh pomegranates we also produce juice, syrup and seeds.

Although pomegranates have been around for 10.000 years, there are still many world citizens who have never seen a pomegranate before. We would like to change that! With its blood red color and abundance of seeds, the pomegranate is a symbol of life. Also, it’s a very healthy fruit with great antioxidant properties. People all over the world are now becoming aware of the special qualities of this fruit.

Interview with Mehmet Daldal

N&M: Why did you choose to go organic?
If you compare the time span of humans on this planet to planet earth itself, we last shorter than a photo flash. In this brief time, we have invaded the whole planet and changed a lot in the ecological balance. Now it’s is our task to think of the future and produce food that respects the ecological balance. If we respect ourselves, we must respect nature. Because in the end, we are what we eat!

N&M: Was it difficult to convert?
Organic production is not easy, certainly not in the beginning! From to the first flower on the tree to putting the pomegranate in the shopping bag, you have to pay continuous attention to the tree and the product. We have worked hard for this. Organic pomegranates look a little different from conventional; they tend to have more (small) scratches and dots on the outside. But on the inside the fruit is perfect, bright red and tasty! And of course totally free from residuals.

N&M: What’s it like to produce organic food in Turkey?
In our country very few people know what organic is. The price that the farmer gets for organic, does not differ much from conventional products, so there is hardly a domestic market. When we wanted to produce organic, we first had to find a way to bigger markets. So we’re very happy to work with Nature & More. I love to share my thoughts with thousands of people through this medium.

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Bodem

In organic production no fertilizer or chemical toxins are used, which stimulates biodiversity in the soil. A living soil has better water management, better porosity, and nutrients are slowly released by bio-activity. At Narice, weeds are manually cut and are left on the soil, as well as the clippings from the trees. These naturally decompose on the orchard floor and provide a blanket that feeds the soil and decreases evaporation and erosion.

Biodiversiteit

With a river crossing the field, wild life around the farms is very colorful. There are 130 different types of birds living on the fields near Soke, like storks, swallows, quails, eagles and many other kinds. Every year, people from abroad come over for bird watching. Since no insecticides are used, there is abundant biodiversity in the soil, like earth worms, spiders and other small animal life. The plant material that is left on the orchard floor also attracts all kinds of insects, which help to maintain a balanced ecosystem.

Pomegranate trees are drought-tolerant and are well suited to the Mediterranean climate. Regarding natural biodiversity, the fact that no herbicides are used will increase plant biodiversity around the orchard. Also, Mehmets orchards are absolutely GMO-free.

maatschappij

Freedom of the mind means the opportunity to develop yourself. Education is an important factor.
Apart from on the job training, Narice contributes to social associations that promote education among agricultural workers. Mehmet is involved in a local humanitarian organization that supports education for students who need it. He also takes education to a more personal level: every year in the harvest season, he hires a bus and makes a tour with some 40 friends and acquaintances from the city, to educate them about farming and nature.

Justice stands for equality among people. Mehmet has eight fultime employees, and 30 seasonal workers during the harvest season. Communication lines are short. Mehmet believes in hands-on leadership and works along with his employees in the field and the packing house. “This way I can monitor the quality of the packed product and see what happens on the work floor. If anyone likes to tell me something or ask me something, I’m right beside them”, says Mehmet. “And the work is good for my belly too”, he adds jokingly.

Solidarity stand for acknowledging other peoples basic needs, and helping them to achieve a decent living standard and income security. In Turkey, every year before the harvest season starts, the Farmers Agricultural Association declares the workers daily fees for the whole season. This gives the workers security. They know what they will get, and the farmers know what they must pay. Permanent employees have set salaries that are comparable to other companies in the area. Social security and medical care are provided by the Turkish government.

Klimaat

Turkey is a sunny country so solar energy is the major energy source in pomegranate production. No chemicals are used – these are normally derived from fossil fuel. Compared to conventional farming, more work is done by hand. The seeds and flowers are dried in a drying tunnel on sheer sun power. The cold storage rooms however use a considerable amount of electricity, which comes from the main electric company. Narice hopes to use wind energy in the future, when government laws support it.

In organic orchards no chemical fertilizer is used. In this way emissions of nitrous oxide are avoided, which is one of the worst greenhouse gasses. Air pollution by agricultural toxins is avoided as well. The relatively low energy use in growing the pomegranates means lower greenhouse gas emissions. The emissions for cold storage will be the same as in conventional production.

Water

Narice uses drip irrigation mostly in order to save water. The Meander river flows through the area, which means that there is abundant water; however the river water is affected by conventional farms upstream, so Mehmet prefers to use underground water. The underground resources are naturally replenished and are tested every year. Mehmet is considering to build tanks to collect rain water in winter time.

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