The crop is being harvested in the Tosya district of Kastamonu, where Turkiye’s first paddy rice factory was established.
Rice produced in the paddy fields irrigated by the Devrez Stream, which is fed by the melted snow waters of Ilgaz Mountain, is preferred due to its taste.
In the district where Turkiye’s first paddy rice factory was established in 1926 upon the instructions of Ataturk, geographically registered Sarikilcik rice comes to the fore. Osmancik, Efe and Yatkin varieties are also grown in the region.
Tosya Cevlik Village Headman Mahir Sari told the AA correspondent that paddy is grown on approximately 1000 decares of land in their village.
Stating that they prepared the paddy fields for planting in the beginning of May, Sari said, “We throw the fertilizer and seeds. Then we wait for the harvest. As of September 15, we cut off the water and start the paddy harvest with combine harvesters.”
Stating that paddy is cultivated in an area of approximately 10 thousand decares in the district, Sari said:
“We hope it will be auspicious. We were afraid of drought, but our harvest is very good and abundant. We bring the paddy we harvest with combine harvesters to our threshes with tractors. After we spread it on tents in the threshes and dry it, we bag it and send it to the factory to be threshed.”
Paddy producer Ismail Cosar stated that he settled in the village after his retirement and started growing paddy and said, “Alhamdulillah, our crop this year is very good. We were afraid before, but we had a lot of rain. We are having a very good harvest.”
Source: AA / Prepared by Irem Yildiz