Soilless farming practices, which have gained momentum in Istanbul in recent years, are helping increase production volumes while enabling more efficient use of agricultural resources.
Interest in the sector has grown through private-sector investments and research and development projects carried out by public institutions. Soilless farming practices are becoming increasingly widespread, particularly in the production of leafy vegetables, aromatic plants and high-value-added crops.
Used within the city or in areas close to urban centers, this production model is emerging as an alternative method to help meet Istanbul’s growing food demand.
According to information obtained from the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Agriculture, soilless farming and modern greenhouse production practices began spreading across the city in the 2010s, while hydroponic systems, modern greenhouse investments and controlled production techniques have shown significant development over the past 15 years.
Fully controlled indoor cultivation and soilless farming practices gained further momentum after 2020, bringing the number of soilless farming enterprises in Istanbul to 29.
The 29 soilless farming enterprises operating in the megacity produce 950,712 kilograms of crops such as tomatoes, peppers, strawberries and mushrooms annually. They also produce 5.9 million units of leafy vegetables, including lettuce, curly lettuce, parsley and arugula.
Production is carried out in the districts of Çatalca, Pendik, Beykoz, Büyükçekmece, Sarıyer, Çekmekoy, Silivri, Ataşehir and Kağıthane.
The expansion of soilless farming is being driven by a range of factors, including climate change, drought, urbanization and technological advances.
As climate change brings rising temperatures, unpredictable rain, longer droughts and extreme weather, farming is becoming increasingly risky. To protect their crops, more and more producers are shifting toward controlled production systems.
