BY: Hana Saada
ALGIERS- The combine harvesting campaign in the wilaya of Adrar was launched on Tuesday, May 2, at the level of the agricultural project of the Turkish company Sarl Dunaysir, a subsidiary of the Turkish group Dekinsan, reported Ecoalgerie news website.
The agricultural project, emanating from an Algerian-Turkish partnership, according to the same services, covers an area of 4000 hectares in the municipality of Tamekten (east of the wilaya of Adrar).
Implemented on March 1, 2022, the project has just produced its first crops: wheat, barley, and animal feed. Other seasonal agricultural products are also produced there, at the level of the farm, where it is also practiced the breeding of animals, such as; sheep.
60 Algerians and 12 Turks work there, according to the services of the wilaya of Adrar. For irrigation needs, the farm has 36 boreholes and, as a first step, 11 pivots, 9 of which are intended for the irrigation of wheat crops, while the other two for the irrigation of barley crops and animal feed.
The same source specified that the farm has maintenance workshops for all agricultural equipment and materials. It also has a medical clinic for workers.
According to Turkey’s Anadolu News Agency, the agricultural project, costing around $25 million, targets the production of wheat, barley, alfalfa and lentils as well as the breeding of cattle, cows, and sheep.
A yield of 7 tonnes of wheat per hectare
Chairman of the Dekinsan Group Board of Directors, Kenan Kosen, in statements to Anadolu, estimated that the harvested wheat is of very good quality, stating that he obtained a yield of 7 tons per hectare (70 quintals per hectare).
“The Algerian authorities have expressed their satisfaction with the type of agriculture and the quality of the harvests. The project launched in Adrar is in service with a capacity of only 30%. The goal is to reach 60% capacity after one year and 100% by 2025,” he said.
The boss of Dekinsan explained to the same source that all the tools and equipment used in the field of agriculture have been purchased and landed in the field, and the harvesters used for harvesting in this project are at the cutting edge of technology and constitute a first in Algeria.
“The center where 400 people working for the project will be housed has already been completed. They will start planting all crops this year, including tomatoes, onions, potatoes, wheat, and pulses,” Kenan Kosen added.
The agricultural services of Adrar presented figures for the 2022/2023 agricultural season in the wilaya. There is a 25% increase in the area dedicated to cereals with irrigation pivots. This area has increased from 11,100 hectares to 14,255 hectares.
The forecast cereal production at the wilaya level is estimated at 675,000 quintals, an increase of 200,000 quintals compared to the previous season (2021/2022).
