ÇAYKUR develops domestic ‘çaykopit’ from tea waste

Researchers and academics in Rize, Turkey, have developed ‘çaykopit’, a domestic alternative to imported ‘cocopeat’ used in soilless farming. Produced from tea waste fibers, the new material is designed to reduce foreign currency expenditures by replacing coconut-based products.

The project was initiated by the ÇAYKUR Tea Research Institute and supported by scientists from Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University, Karadeniz Technical University, and Ankara University. Initial trials using ‘çaykopit’ in greenhouses have yielded successful harvests of tomatoes, squash, beans, and ornamental plants, with some tests showing higher yields than imported alternatives.

ÇAYKUR General Manager Yusuf Ziya Alim stated that the project aims to keep foreign currency within Turkey by utilizing the agricultural resources of the Eastern Black Sea region.