In the village of Uylubağı, 11 kilometers from the Sulusaray district of Tokat, 54-year-old Halil Bozkurt is carrying out a remarkable agricultural experiment with the support he received from the Agriculture and Rural Development Support Institution (TKDK).
Bozkurt, who planted the safflower seed, which he brought specially from Yozgat by doing internet research, on his 6-acre land in March 2024, is preparing to harvest the flowers in August.
Bozkurt, who visits his land every day and takes a close interest in the flowers, said that if the product cannot find a market, he will use it as feed for his animals.
“If Animals Don’t Eat It, I’ll Throw It Into The River”
Bozkurt, who stated that he would be confused about what to do if animals did not consume the safflower because it was thorny, said, “If animals do not eat it, I will dump it on the riverbank as the last resort.”
Bozkurt stated that he produced safflower for the first time in Tokat and emphasized that he has been involved in farming for 45 years and that this trial was a new experience for him.
“This year, with the support we received from the Agriculture and Rural Development Support Institution, we decided to plant a safflower crop. This is the first time we are planting this plant and we don’t know what to expect. I brought the seeds from Yozgat after doing research. I couldn’t even find a licensed herbicide, I obtained the drugs through my own research. There is also uncertainty about the yield. I don’t have any knowledge about marketing either. If we can’t market the product, our animals can consume it as feed. I have currently planted 6 acres of safflower. If the yield and marketing yield the right results, I will increase the production. I plan to share this experience with other farmers around me. I know that the safflower plant is thorny and its flowers are different. However, I can’t fully predict the rest of the details. Hopefully, we will get a nice product. I haven’t seen such production around me except for me. Marketing the product is very important. If the product remains in our hands, there is no point in continuing such experiments. I plan to research marketing methods on the internet and evaluate them in the most accurate way. If we are not successful, I do not know whether our animals will consume this product. “If not, I will pour it by the river,” he said.
It is worth noting that the safflower plant is produced in certain regions in Turkey such as Eskişehir, Burdur, Isparta and Konya and is used as a medicine, cosmetic product, cooking oil and dye.
