Black fig season is beginning for export

It is on week later than last season. Turkey’s best fig growers in the Odemis region in Izmir have entered their season’s first figs onto market stalls. This first harvest is being offered for sale at €1.35 a kilo.

The collecting of figs began in the Birgi quarter of the region, but the fig trees occupy land especially on the Bozdag plains, and these figs will soon be taking their place on the market stands. The figs named Turfanda in the Odemis region attract the attention of both locals and tourists.

Grower Huseyin Kumru, assessing the new produce, stresses the need to protect fig gardens. In Odemis and the surrounding regions growers have previously made a living from cotton, tobacco and the figs. 

“Especially in the last 20 years, fig orchards have been converted to fields. In the region, of late the major product is becoming the minority; the fig orchards of today. Last year there was little fig production due to the weather conditions. The quality of the produce dropped and the producers who waited a year for the season were disappointed. Now the most important issue is the conservation of the fig orchards.” shared Kumru.

“Figs from Odemis desired abroad”
Huseying Kumru states that the most desired fig for foreign exports comes from Odemis and the surrounding regions, “However we are finding it difficult to produce. We are not making money for this production.

Unfortunately because fig growers are not making money they are having to uproot their fig trees. For this reason we need support for fig growing and the conservation of fig orchards.

 No matter how bad the weather conditions have been, we provided the first produce from our trees, which can be purchased for €1.35 a kilo. In the coming days we expect the weather to get hotter and the figs will begin to dry, thus we will then begin our dried fig production. Our biggest wish is not to experience the same problems as last year. We are demanding the conservation of our fig trees and orchards and we hope for an abundant season.” 

Source: milliyet.com.tr