Turkey's 'purple gold' harvest begins, drawing international tourists

The "purple gold" harvest has commenced in Kuyucak, Turkey, a region renowned for its lavender production. Farmers are actively harvesting lavender across approximately 10,000 decares (2,471 acres) of land, with the season expected to continue until the end of July. Using sickles and electric machines, producers cut the lavender, which is then bundled and dried.

Producers anticipate a better yield this year compared to last, attributing the expected increase to favorable rainfall. Muhsin Çelik, a lavender producer, reported delivering over 4 tons of product last year and expects to deliver more than 6 tons this year. He noted a significant difference of approximately 500-600 kilograms per decare compared to previous years, thanks to the abundant rainfall positively impacting the lavender crop.

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Due to the abundant rainfall this year, we had a beautiful harvest season for our lavender, as with all plants. Compared to other years, we achieved a difference of approximately 500-600 kilograms per decare.

Çelik also highlighted the increasing use of machinery in harvesting, which helps reduce labor costs. He mentioned that it takes about 100 kilograms of lavender to produce 1 kilogram of essential oil. Lavender cultivation in Kuyucak began around 50 years ago, and it has since become the village's signature product.

Kuyucak's mayor, İsmail Tezcan, stated that the village attracts around 100,000 visitors during the lavender season. He expects this number to rise to 130,000-140,000 this year, with tourists coming from various Turkish cities like Antalya and Istanbul, as well as from Russia and the Far East. Despite the ongoing harvest, the purple fields continue to offer picturesque scenery, encouraging visitors to come and experience the lavender bloom.

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This year, we expect the number of visitors to reach 130,000-140,000. Tourists from different cities, especially Antalya and Istanbul, as well as from Russia and the Far East, visit Kuyucak.