Hakkı Albayrak cultivates 200 plant varieties in Samsun

Hakkı Albayrak, an 82-year-old retired teacher living in the Atakum district of Samsun, has successfully cultivated approximately 200 different varieties of fruits and vegetables in his garden. Over the past 20 years, Albayrak has used seeds collected from 50 different countries across three continents to create a diverse botanical collection.

His garden features a wide array of global produce, including Mexican avocados, Japanese apples, Indian tree melons, Chinese beans, and pawpaw (Native American banana). He also grows unique varieties such as goji berries, black dates, tamarillos, and various colored tomatoes, including purple, black, and orange varieties.

Albayrak produces these crops under natural conditions without the use of greenhouses. However, recent frost during the flowering period significantly impacted his avocado yield; while he harvested 800 avocados from a single tree last year, this year's harvest is expected to be around 60.