Apples flourish in remote village’s unique microclimate zone

KARS

In the eastern frostbitten city of Kars, a rare microclimate has turned an unlikely corner of a border village, where Türkiye meets Armenia along the Arpaçay River, into a thriving hub for organic apple production.

In the remote village of Halıkışlak in the city’s Digor district, farmers are defying Kars’ reputation for harsh winters and unforgiving terrain.

Perched at an altitude of roughly 1,000 meters, Halıkışlak produces a wide variety of fruits unusual for the region: Apricots, walnuts, pears, grapes — and, most recently, three types of apples that locals say rival any grown in Türkiye.

Murat Karadağ, the village headman and a grower, proudly lists them: Granny Smith, Golden Delicious and Starking.

“People say apples don’t grow in Kars,” he said. “But here, they grow beautifully. Our soil and water are good, the apples are resilient, and they taste better.”

On one side of river lies Halıkışlak; across the water, Bagaran village in Armenia. For residents on the Turkish side, the river provides essential irrigation.

The apples, grown without chemical fertilizers and nourished only with animal manure, are marketed as fully organic.

Each season, the harvest begins in the traditional co-operative fashion – villagers working side by side in long days of collective labor. The result is a yield that has surprised even agricultural officials: Nearly 600 tons of apples from about 300 hectares of orchards.

Some of the fruit is sold fresh to local markets across Kars and neighboring provinces, while another share goes to juice factories.

Local leaders say the success is changing the agricultural profile of the area.

Digor District Governor Ahmet Tayyip Kahraman described the production as “significant,” noting that both apples and other fruits now make up an important share of the district’s economy.

“Golden, green and red varieties all thrive here,” he said. “We are working to expand production further.”

Enver Aydın, the provincial agriculture director, highlighted that Kars is not only about snow and high plateaus.

“There are also microclimate zones that are extremely fertile,” he said. “Halıkışlak has become a leader in fruit-growing. We monitor each stage of production, provide technical training and make sure farmers have the support they need.”

For the growers themselves, the work is both livelihood and pride.

“When I take these apples to sell, many people can’t believe they come from Kars,” said farmer Sinan Karadağ. “At first, it was difficult. But year after year, we improved. Now our apples are tastier and completely organic.”