Istanbul’s farmland sustains agricultural production in megacity

ISTANBUL

This photo shows a vast sunflower field in Istanbul. (AA Photo)

Despite being one of the world’s largest metropolitan areas, Istanbul continues to maintain a significant agricultural sector, with more than 743,000 decares of cultivated land contributing to the city’s economy.

Suat Parıldar, director of the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, said that agriculture remains an important part of the city’s economy, with wheat, barley, sunflower, canola, dry beans and chickpeas among six strategic crops covered by production planning.

Nearly 610,000 decares of farmland are registered in a national database used to record agricultural holdings and production, accounting for about 82 percent of the city’s cultivated land. Around 6,000 farmers are registered, while nearly 90 percent of Istanbul’s agricultural production is carried out under production planning that takes into account water resources, climate, geography, productivity and market conditions.

Agriculture also benefits from Istanbul’s vast consumer market and proximity to major distribution networks. The city has more than 140,000 food businesses, creating a large domestic market for locally produced agricultural goods.

Government support has further strengthened the sector. Farmers received more than 525 million Turkish Liras ($10.7 million) in agricultural support payments in 2025, while 2026 support rates were increased.

The province is also promoting vegetable production through projects providing seedlings. More than 2 million seedlings, including tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers and broccoli, were distributed to farmers during the spring and autumn seasons.