Kahramanmaraş begins white millet harvest

The harvest season for white millet, locally referred to as ‘white gold’, has begun in the Türkoğlu district of Kahramanmaraş. Farmers in the Beyoğlu neighborhood and around the Gavur Lake basin are harvesting the crop, which was planted as an alternative second crop after wheat fields were submerged by water.

Yields for the millet are reported to be between 350 and 500 kilograms per decare, depending on soil moisture. Last year, prices reached as high as 35 Turkish Liras per kilogram. Once harvested and dried, the product is distributed to regions including Mersin and Gaziantep for use in the food industry, bird feed, silage, and animal feed.

Local farmer Mustafa Polat noted a significant increase in cultivation area, rising from approximately 1,600–1,700 decares last year to an estimated 7,500–8,000 decares this year. He highlighted that while the crop is a vital income source, additional support programs could further improve farmer earnings.