Mersin farmers light stoves overnight as cold threatens crops

MERSİN

The unrelenting cold front continues to grip the country’s southern city of Mersin, pushing agricultural workers to light stoves through the night in a diligent bid to shield from frost and protect crops.

In the Erdemli district, a major hub for greenhouse farming, farmers remained on high alert as temperatures in the normally warm coastal region dropped to an unusual minus 2 degrees Celsius, while higher-altitude areas plummeted to minus 15 degrees Celsius.

Thus, all producers in Erdemli, the leading producer of greenhouse tomatoes, turned on their stoves to battle frost and keep the greenhouse interiors warm till dawn.

Frosts, one of the greatest dangers associated with agricultural activities, occur when the temperature falls below or near freezing and harms agricultural goods.

Erdemli Mayor Mustafa Kara joined farmers in their overnight vigil battling against the frost, helping them light stoves and distributing hot soup to keep spirits high.

"Until sunrise, we will stay with our farmers. We, as the municipality, will always stand with our farmers,” Kara said.

Mersin leads Türkiye in the production of nine different crops, and Erdemli is at the forefront, particularly in tomato and lemon cultivation, he further pointed out.

Hüseyin Yıldırım, a local farmer, described the struggle to keep their crops safe, expressing gratitude for the mayor to contribute to their excessive efforts.

"The cold is intense. We’re burning stoves all night to keep the tomatoes safe. We truly appreciate our mayor coming here and sharing the hardship with us," he said.

The Turkish Meteorological Service, on the other hand, renewed its agricultural frost warnings for Mersin, in addition to Adana, Osmaniye, Hatay and Kahramanmaraş, urging farmers to remain vigilant for a certain period.

Meanwhile, in Eastern Anatolia, the Siberian cold wave made life even harsher and more challenging for citizens.

In the city’s Horasan and Tekman districts, temperatures plummeted to a staggering minus 32.6 degrees Celsius, marking them as the coldest locations in the region.

Aras River, flowing through Horasan, is entirely covered in ice, with trees coated in frost and icicles several meters long hanging from rooftops, creating a fascinating, postcard-like winter landscape.

In the Yakutiye district, the severe cold had a significant impact on daily life. Glass panels at bus stops were covered with frost, and water sources, such as the ablution fountain in front of a mosque, completely froze. This made it challenging for worshippers to perform their rituals. Locals bundle up in scarves and hats, braving the brutal weather as best they can.

With no immediate relief in sight, both farmers in Mersin and residents in Erzurum remain at the mercy of an unforgiving winter, doing everything possible to endure the icy grip of February.