27.08.2025 16:47
In Elazığ, 300 tons of tomatoes, harvested and dried with the labor of 600 workers on 2,000 acres, are being sent to countries including the United States, France, England, and the Netherlands, primarily to European countries. The price of dried tomatoes, which adorn tables around the world, is sold at 4 euros per kilogram in the field.
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Mehmet Salih Kıran and Erhan Arıkboğan, who grow tomatoes on 2,000 acres in the village of Alatarla, located 15 kilometers from Elazığ, continue the harvest with approximately 600 workers.
The tomatoes, collected with great effort by the workers, are first sold in the domestic market, particularly in Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia. In addition to the domestic market, the collected tomatoes are cut in half with the help of machines and knives, salted, and left to dry in the sun. The dried tomatoes are then exported to many countries, primarily the USA and France. While the fields seem endless, an average yield of 315,000 tons is expected this year.
"WE SELL DRIED TOMATOES FOR 4 EUROS"
Mehmet Sait Çetinkaya, one of the field owners, stated that 600 people are working for drying purposes, "Some are cutting the tomatoes, while others are salting them. They are collecting tomatoes over an area of 2,000 acres. While 300 people were working in the spring, now 600 people are working. The tomatoes we collect are exported abroad after being dried. They are sent to many countries, especially the USA, France, England, and the Netherlands. The tomatoes produced in Elazığ adorn the tables of the world. Our work here will continue until October. We expect a yield of 300 tons of dried tomatoes and 15,000 tons of fresh tomatoes. We sell dried tomatoes for 4 Euros and fresh tomatoes for between 9-10 lira," he said.
"WE RAISE THEM LIKE CHILDREN"
Selami Ağul, one of the workers in the field, said, "We have been doing this job for 10 years. We have been here for 7 months. We grow the tomatoes produced here from planting to hoeing like a child. We dry the tomatoes we plant here and also sell them at the market. We grow the tomatoes produced here organically without any chemicals. We also export the dried tomatoes abroad. We come to the field as soon as the sun rises and work until sunset. Technology is advancing. We used to cut the tomatoes by hand, but now a tractor does it," he expressed.
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