TİGEM organic farming project awaits judicial decision

A large-scale organic farming project planned by TİGEM in the Marmara Gölü basin is currently stalled due to a judicial stay of execution. The project aims to transform the area into what TİGEM General Manager Dr. Hasan Gezginç describes as “the world’s largest organic enterprise.”

Marmara Gölü, which was originally an artificial reservoir created in the 1950s to supply water to the Menemen and İzmir plains, has completely dried up. According to Gezginç, the depletion began in 2019 due to irregular rainfall and the uncontrolled use of illegal wells, leaving the area without water by 2021.

The proposed ecological model includes organic livestock farming and the use of solar-powered electric tractors. Gezginç noted that because the land has not been farmed for 70 years, it remains pristine and free of chemical residues or heavy metals. He expressed confusion regarding environmental concerns raised against the project, arguing that a system without chemical use should not harm the environment. The project remains on hold pending a court decision.