Harvest of Heirloom Tomatoes Begins in Lice District of Diyarbakır

The harvest season has begun for Lice tomatoes in the Lice district of Diyarbakır, grown for years from heirloom seeds and known for their thin skin and slightly tart taste. Fed by cold spring waters coming from the mountains and cultivated using small ruminant manure, the crop is being produced on an area of approximately 600 decares this year.

Production Area and Yield Expectation

It was stated that the harvest season of the Lice tomatoes, which was delayed this year due to the effects of rainfall, is being cultivated on an area of approximately 600 decares, with the goal of expanding the production area.

While a yield of 3 to 3.5 tons per decare is expected from the production carried out in the district, it was noted that the average fruit weight varies between 200 and 250 grams.

Characteristics and Preservation Methods

Lice tomatoes, which love cool weather and are fed by cold waters coming from the mountains, are predominantly consumed fresh and are also utilized in making tomato paste and canned goods.

It was stated that the heirloom seeds used in the production of the tomatoes, which have a shelf life of about 5 days due to their thin-skinned structure, have been stored by the public for centuries in chests, pantries, and alongside gold.

Registration Efforts and Support Demands

Stating that an application was made in 2024 to register the product, District Director of Agriculture and Forestry Hakan Hani emphasized that the yield has been progressing at a good level this year thanks to the impact of rainfall.

Rural Çeper Neighborhood Headman Celal Erdem and producer Alattin Savan expressed that they expect support to increase production made with heirloom seeds and to deliver the product to major cities such as Ankara, Izmir, and Istanbul.