Bas Cherry Farms
About Us
Bas Cherry Farms was established in 2009 on an untouched fertile land of 1800m elevation in Hadim, Konya. As of 2023, our 100-hectare (1 km2) farm has over 30 thousand cherry trees.
Our main objective is to sustainably produce sweet cherries of premium quality. Prioritizing human health and environment, we have been producing cherries in accordance with Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) standards for almost a decade.* Our goal is to apply the newest technologies and farming methods to produce the highest quality Turkish cherry and reach consumers all over the world.
* Our cherry production facility and operations are inspected by the Ministry of Agriculture and certified to be in accordance with the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) standards by ECAS Licensing Certification Ltd.
Characteristics of Our Cherries
Napoleon / 0900 Ziraat Cherry
According to pomological classification, the cherries we grow in our farm belong to the dark colored varieties of the heart group. They belong to the 0900 Ziraat sweet cherry type in this group. 0900 Ziraat cherry trees are steep and strong; their fruits are medium/large sized, sweet, juicy and firm. The average fruit diameter is 28-31 mm and the weight is 15-18 grams. 0900 Ziraat, also known as Napoleon cherry, is the most widely grown and globally exported cherry variety of superior quality in Turkey.
As our farm is located at 1800 meters altitude in the Taurus Mountains, the harvesting time starts towards the end of July and lasts until mid-August. The biggest advantage of high altitude is that when cherry harvest in the northern hemisphere ends, our harvest will be just beginning and this gives us a superior position in the market. World's largest commercial cherry producers, such as the USA, Spain, Italy and France, cherry harvest ends in mid-July at the latest. Since there is supply shortage in the global market during this period, the demand for our cherries increases and Turkish cherry is exported to several countries.
Good Agricultural Practices Certificates:
Climate in Hadim
Cherries are optimally grown in cool and fresh climates where it’s not too hot in summer time and high altitude prodives the optimal cool weather. Our farm is located in Hadim, where it’s warm and dry during the day, and cool at night in summer. Average temperatures are 15°C in May, 18°C in June and 20°C in July.
It’s crucial that the weather is dry, sunny and clear during the ripening and harvesting period to get high quality cherries. Rainfall during this period causes cracking and greatly reduces cherry quality. Our cherries don’t experience cracking as it’s the driest period of the year during the ripening and harvesting period in our region. In July and August, the average number of sunny and clear days is 23, and the average sunshine duration is 10 and a half hours. Clear weather and sunshine are very important for the fruit color and quality during this period.
Cherries need about 1200-1800 hours of cooling in winter. If this need is not fulfilled, irregular flowering will occur in the trees. Since winters are mostly cold and snowy in our region, the cooling need of cherries are fully satisfied. Our high altitude also prevents the cherries from being adversely affected by late spring frosts.
Effects of Altitude
Altitude is one of the main factors that enables us to achieve premium quality with our cherries. At higher altitudes, plants have higher gains from photosynthesis, along with higher pigmentation, dry matter and aroma accumulation. The increased sunlight intensity and the light exposure positively affects the outer color formation of the fruits. It ensures that our cherries have vivid and bright deep red skin - and color is an important factor for determining cherry quality. Altitude also increases the flesh firmness; which not only increases fruit quality but also increases the durability of cherries in transport and storage. The winds at high altitude also positively influence the quality and original aroma of our cherries.
Soil Properties and Our Applications
The soil characteristics in our farm meet the needs of the cherry plant. It has good natural drainage and low lime ratio. At the same time, it’s not exposed to northern winds and the groundwater level is below 1 meter. As our land and its surroundings have never been used for agricultural or any other purpose, our farm was established on an untouched soil with no chemical or fertilizer residuals. This has been crucial for the natural and fertile characteristics of our soil.
Before fertilization, our agricultural engineers conduct extensive soil and leaf analysis in the laboratory. Our fertilizer applications vary depending on such factors as soil condition, tree age and condition, and irrigation. In our farm, we apply fertilizers customized for each section according to the lab analyses.
Drip irrigation method is applied in our farm. After tracking the irrigation need and condition of the trees, an efficient irrigation plan is established according to the changing conditions.
Bas Cherry Farms
Contact Information
Phone
Address
+90 532 586 83 25
Bas Cherry Farms Kiraz Isletmesi
Armaganlar Mahallesi
42830 Hadim/Konya
Turkey