31.10.2026 18:42
The harvest of Erciş cabbage, which has a geographical indication, has begun; 500 farmers in the district are producing on approximately 1,700 decares of land. The cabbage, sold at 100 TL per head, is sent to neighboring provinces such as Van, Bitlis, Ağrı, and Iğdır, becoming a source of income for farmers.
Harvesting has begun for the Erciş cabbage, which has been registered with a geographical indication in the Erciş district of Van. The cabbages, which stand out for their large size and flavor and are grown from ancestral seeds passed down from generation to generation, contribute to the regional economy. Erciş cabbage, produced by approximately 500 farmers on 1,700 decares of land, finds buyers at 100 lira each.
500 FARMERS PRODUCE ON 1,700 DECARES OF LAND
In Erciş, cabbage seedlings planted in the soil every June are harvested in October. The cabbages grown on the district's vast agricultural lands draw attention with their size.
The harvested products are sent primarily to Van, as well as Bitlis, Ağrı and Iğdır, along with neighboring provinces and districts. Erciş cabbage, sold at about 100 lira each, is used in kitchens especially for making stuffed cabbage rolls and pickles.
GROWN FROM ANCESTRAL SEEDS FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION
Farmer Samet Kızılkaya, who has been producing cabbage with his family for years, stated that production is a family tradition for them.
Kızılkaya, explaining that cabbage cultivation was inherited from his grandfather to his father and from his father to him, said they use ancestral seeds in production.
HIGH DEMAND FROM NEIGHBORING PROVINCES
Stating that Erciş cabbage differs from cabbages grown in other regions with its flavor and size, Kızılkaya said that they grow the seeds themselves and also do the planting themselves.
Kızılkaya, noting that they receive orders from neighboring provinces and districts, especially Ağrı, Tatvan, Bitlis, Van, Muradiye and Çaldıran, recorded that there is especially high demand for Erciş cabbage in Diyarbakır.
Kızılkaya also reminded that Erciş cabbage has been registered with a geographical indication, emphasizing that the product is one of the district's important agricultural values.