ALİAĞA BISCUIT WHEAT PROJECT

In 2007, we commenced collaborative efforts with the Bahri Dağdaş International Agricultural Research Institute in Konya to develop a wheat variety that is appropriate for producing biscuit flour and supplying raw materials sustainably.

The initial trials took place between 2007 and 2011 at the Institute's fields, while the developed wheat varieties were tested in different regions from 2011 to 2014. After careful evaluation, a wheat variety named Aliağa was selected, and an application for its registration was submitted in 2014. Aliağa Wheat successfully passed the tests conducted by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, and Livestock's Seed Registration and Certification Center in various regions and conditions, leading to its official registration. From 2017 to 2019, the Institute conducted seed production activities in their own cultivation areas to promote the dissemination of Aliağa Wheat.

The first 700 acres of land in Konya and Ankara were planted with Aliağa Wheat in November 2019, and the first harvest happened in July 2020. We achieved our target of producing approximately 300 tons of seeds during this harvest. These seeds were sown again in the planting season of 2020, while seed production efforts continued.

An important milestone was reached in the "Aliağa Biscuit Wheat" project in 2022, as Aliağa Wheat started being utilized in Ülker products as of October 2022.

Compared to existing wheat varieties, Aliağa Biscuit Wheat, which is resilient to climate change, diseases, and drought, demonstrates higher yields in irrigated lands by 17-20% per acre and in drought-prone lands by 35-40%, surpassing the average. This locally produced, high-quality biscuit wheat is anticipated to enhance farmer revenue by at least 20%. Additionally, another advantage of Aliağa Biscuit Wheat, thriving in drought-prone areas, is reduced water requirement for irrigation.