Based on this information, write a new short title in English: New varieties were harvested in the work initiated to revitalize peanut production – BRTK

The harvest was completed in the work initiated to revitalize peanut production.

In order to revitalize peanut production, which has come to a halt, in cooperation with the Agricultural Research Institute (TAE), Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) and Güzelyurt Municipality, trials were carried out to determine high-yield varieties, prominent varieties were produced and peanuts were prepared for planting, harvesting and shelling. Machines were brought for separation. Highly productive Ayşehanım and Masal varieties, which stand out in seed production, were used.

Peanuts, which were cultivated in more than 500 decares of land in the country until the mid-1990s, have fallen to 1-2 decares today. According to export data, 1 million dollars worth of peanuts were imported in 2023. The export average of the last five years is 580 tons per year.

In order to revitalize peanut production, around 5 tons of crop were harvested from the peanut planting on 5 decares of land allocated by Güzelyurt Municipality. The harvest will be used to revitalize peanuts.

A call was made to farmers to engage in peanut cultivation, and it was stated that incentives would be increased.

Peanuts planted on the lands allocated by Güzelyurt Municipality were harvested.

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TİKA Nicosia Office Coordinator Havva Pınar Özcan Küçükçavuş, in her statement to TAK during the harvest at TAE Güzelyurt Station, said that TİKA has been focusing on the development of agriculture and animal husbandry since the day it was established in TRNC, and that each project they support in this context has a special importance.

Küçükçavuş stated that when they came across a project to revitalize peanut production and learned that all of their peanut needs were met externally, they decided to support the project.

Mayor of Güzelyurt, Mahmut Özçınar, stated that he believes that they have undertaken an important project, that Güzelyurt was a region where peanuts were grown abundantly in the past, but this has disappeared in recent years, and that the project is an opportunity to revive pistachio production.

Stating that peanuts prefer sandy soil structure and the soil of the Plateau region is also sandy, Özçınar noted that if the producers return to peanut cultivation again, the added value of peanuts will be benefited from.

Stating that he believes that peanuts can create serious added value in the coming years, Özçınar stated that what they are trying to do as a municipality is to multiply the peanut varieties that stand out in the trials and present them to the producers.

TAE Director Cem Karaca thanked TIKA and Güzelyurt Municipality for their support to the study.

Stating that the reason why peanut cultivation decreased from 500 decares to 1-2 decares was the high labor and cost and the start of import, Karaca noted that labor costs decreased with technological development.

Stating that they think that production can be revived if they bring the necessary equipment for peanut production to the country, Karaca said that they requested support from TİKA with this idea.

Karaca stated that TİKA ensured the purchase of all machines from peanut planting to harvesting and post-harvest shell separation.

Explaining that they established trial plots with different peanut varieties in 2023, Karaca stated that in 2024, they produced seeds on a 5-decare land provided by the Municipality with the high-yield varieties that stood out in the trials.

Karaca noted that they aim to revitalize peanut production and offer alternative production areas to producers, as well as encouraging the use of peanuts in rotation, as it is a product that improves the soil structure, and that it can be planted after potatoes.

Stating that the Ministry also provides support for peanuts in 2023, Karaca stated that they plan to increase this support.