Drought-stricken fields: Prickly pear turns into ice cream

In Mersin, where irrigation is limited, the harvest season for prickly pear continues, and through value-added work, it has been transformed into ice cream. Referring to the prickly pear as one of the rare products that bear fruit without needing medication, water, or fertilizer, Mustafa Teke, President of the Tarsus Trade Exchange, said it could be a remedy for the thirst and drought experienced in rural areas. In Mersin, an important production center of Turkey, all kinds of fruits and vegetables are grown, including the prickly pear, known for its taste, which is peeled and sold individually on the streets, especially during the tourism season. Its production in dry or poorly irrigated fields is noteworthy. Over 25 thousand tons of prickly pear are produced only in Mersin, and significant efforts are being made to increase its value. With the initiative of the Tarsus Trade Exchange, prickly pear ice cream has been produced in Mersin, where production is most intense. It was ...