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What can be grown on the land?

In short: Whether a crop will grow on a piece of land is decided by the coldest winter nights, summer warmth, rainfall, soil and slope together; the weakest link decides the result. Some crops, such as hazelnut and tea, also need a permit. ParselX calculates these indicators for the parcel and ranks 33 crops from "highly suitable" to "not suitable".

Which factors are considered?

Winter cold: night temperatures in the coldest month. Olive and citrus cannot withstand harsh winters; apple and pear can.
Chilling: trees such as apple, cherry and apricot need a certain spell of cool weather between 0 and 7 °C in winter in order to flower. Mild coastal winters may not give these trees enough.
Summer warmth (growing degree days): cotton, maize and citrus need a long, hot summer; on cool uplands they cannot ripen.
Late frost: a frost that comes in spring after flowering can wipe out that year's crop. Apricot and almond are very sensitive to it.
Rainfall: in rain-fed farming, annual and summer rainfall must be sufficient. Cereals grow in dry inland regions, but fruit and vegetables need irrigation.
Soil: pH (acidity or lime content), and clay and sand content. Tea and hazelnut like acidic soil; pistachio and olive like limy soil.
Drainage: water can collect on heavy clay and flat land; olive, almond and lavender rot if their roots stand in water.
Slope: mechanised field farming needs flat or gently sloping land; steep slopes need terraces.

How to read the result

ParselX uses the FAO land suitability method: each crop is given one of the classes highly suitable, moderately suitable, marginally suitable or not suitable, and the class is set by the worst factor. There are two scenarios: rain-fed (rainfall is also assessed) and irrigated (enough irrigation water is assumed to be available).

The result is a first screening, not a yield or profit forecast. Parcel-scale features such as frost pockets, wind corridors, soil depth, stoniness and salinity do not show up in satellite and climate data. Before sowing or planting, have a soil analysis done and consult an agricultural engineer.

Crops that need a permit, and other rules

Hazelnut: no new hazelnut orchard may be established without a permit; orchards established outside permitted areas are ordered to be uprooted (Law No. 2844).
Tea: growing tea outside tea-growing areas is prohibited; unlicensed tea plantations are ordered to be uprooted (Tea Law No. 3092).
New orchards: as a rule, new orchards are not allowed on land with a slope below 6%.
Crops in oversupply: for crops with a national self-sufficiency ratio above 150% (e.g. apricot, hazelnut), new orchards are generally not permitted.
Basin crop pattern: crops covered by planned production (wheat, maize, sunflower, cotton, sugar beet…) cannot receive support payments if they are not in the district's basin crop pattern. In water-restricted districts, extra rules apply to water-hungry crops such as maize.

How to check on ParselX

Look up your field, vineyard or greenhouse parcel; the "What can be grown here?" card in the results panel shows the suitable crops in the rain-fed and irrigated scenarios. The "All crops and reasons" window gives, for each crop, the limiting factors, the reasons, suggestions and a table of thresholds. If you choose the "Agriculture" view, this information appears at the top of the panel.

Data sources

Climate normals: CHELSA V2.1 (1981–2010, about 1 km); typical year: PVGIS (EU Joint Research Centre); soil: ISRIC SoilGrids 2.0; slope: Copernicus GLO-30; flooding: EU JRC 100-year river flood map.

This guide is for information only. Agricultural legislation changes often; some of the sizes set in the annex to the regulation can also be updated by the Ministry without publication in the Official Gazette. Before you apply, consult the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry; the final decision rests with the relevant authority.

Last updated: 29 September 2026