The Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources Dursun Oğuz has said that the country’s drought problem will be resolved and the variety of agricultural products grown in the TRNC will increase once the water from Türkiye is channelled to agricultural lands in the Mesarya Plain.

Speaking to the Anadolu Agency, Minister Oğuz pointed out that the water brought from Mersin via a pipeline under the sea will be channelled to the country’s largest plain.

The Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources Dursun Oğuz said that once the water brought from Türkiye is used to irrigate the agricultural plains of Mesarya, the drought problem will be solved once and for all.

He also said that it will also be possible to introduce alternative agricultural products with the arrival of the water.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency on the second phase of the Central Mesarya Plain Irrigation Line Construction Project, which is being funded by Türkiye, Oğuz said that the water from Türkiye has mostly been used so far for non-agricultural purposes.

He stated that the first phase of the project was completed and that the second phase which will pump the water to agricultural areas in Mesarya through a transmission line will begin soon.

Pointing out that only drought-resistant crops were grown in Mesarya due to the area’s arid climate, Minister Oğuz said that the country’s drought issue will be solved once and for all once the water arrives.

“We expect an increase in dairy production once the water arrives as this will have a positive effect on animal husbandry. Anatolia’s water will be a solution for drought in the TRNC,” he said.

Explaining that the citrus orchards in Güzelyurt will be irrigated with the first phase of the project, the agriculture minister said the water will be used over an area of 97,200 decares through a 44km long transmission line.

He pointed out that until now farmers were completely dependent on seasonal conditions because of the arid climate but would now with this new project, which is planned to be completed in 3 years, be able to grow crops irrelevant of low rainfall.

Stressing that water transported from Türkiye to the TRNC via a pipeline suspended under the sea was very important for them, the agriculture minister said, “This project is at least as important as bringing drinking water to the island.”

Oğuz also expressed the view that the water will boost the capacity of the TRNC’s agricultural production reducing dependency on imports and creating more jobs in agriculture.

Oğuz added fruits, vegetables, peanuts, olives, potatoes, citrus produce, pomegranates, artichokes and grains (barley, wheat), feed (green grass, silage corn, alfalfa) will approximately contribute ₺468m to the country once the water from Anatolia irrigates the fields and orchards in Güzelyurt and Mesarya.