Underground farming in Istanbul targets year-round strawberry harvest

ISTANBUL

Beneath the streets of Istanbul, an innovative urban agriculture project is preparing to bring pesticide-free strawberries to consumers year-round, marking a new phase in the city’s push toward sustainable food production.

The Agriculture and Forestry Ministry’s vertical farming center in the district of Kağıthane has launched work to cultivate strawberries 30 meters underground using advanced vertical farming technology.

Located on the minus-eighth floor of a cultural center, the facility is already supplying fresh vegetables to the megacity and is now expanding into fruit production.

As the world’s second-deepest agricultural production center, the facility can grow up to 120 plant species through soilless farming methods. Its latest strawberry initiative aims to ensure uninterrupted, high-quality harvests throughout the year, regardless of seasonal conditions.

The center uses a hydroponic system, eliminating the need for soil by delivering water, nutrients and light directly to plant roots under tightly controlled conditions. Temperature, humidity and light are calibrated to accelerate growth and maintain quality, while also removing the need for pesticides.

Project Coordinator Hakan Aşan said the vertical farming model would enable fresh produce to reach consumers in Istanbul directly and cutting logistical costs tied to transportation from rural farming regions. Research and development studies for the strawberry program are expected to be completed within six months.

While conventional agriculture requires around 250 liters of water to produce one kilogram of crops, the underground vertical system can cut that figure to as little as one liter — a saving of more than 99 percent.

Despite occupying just 300 square meters, the facility can generate yields equivalent to a 20,000-square-meter field.