Harvesting has begun from century-old olive trees in Artvin.

Olive harvest season has begun in the Yusufeli district of Artvin. In the village of Cevizli, the award-winning Butko olives, obtained from 300-year-old ancient trees, are being harvested with great dedication by the producers. The producers climb meters high with ladders to reach the olives on the branches of the trees located on steep slopes, carefully picking the olives by hand from the branches.

For the producers living in the rugged geography of Yusufeli, olive harvesting is a very laborious process. The terraced fields created with the terracing method and surrounded by stone walls make access difficult in order not to damage the trees and olives. However, despite the challenging terrain of the region, the producers are determined to preserve the olive trees with roots dating back centuries and to have a productive harvest season.

Adem and Türkan Uzun, a couple living in the village of Cevizli, sustain their livelihood by selling olives obtained from the olive trees inherited from their ancestors. The Uzun couple uses a rail system they set up in their garden to transport the olives they collect without damaging the olive trees. Türkan Uzun stated that the method is both practical and environmentally friendly, saying, “I help my husband with the harvest. We designed a rail system to avoid harming the trees. This method has become more practical.”

Adem Uzun noted that these olive groves were passed down to him from his grandfather, stating, “These lands are inherited from our ancestors. The olives grown here have a unique flavor that cannot be found in other regions of Turkey. We collect them separately for oil and for breakfast, and we try to preserve this value as much as we can. I hope this heritage continues after us.” Another producer, Bahattin Ulusoy, mentioned that the region offers a unique geography for olive production. Ulusoy said, “There are three types of olives in this region. Our land is quite steep, and we protect the olive groves by creating terraces with stone walls. We repair these walls in the spring, and even if they collapse again during irrigation in the summer, we rebuild them without hesitation.”

The ancient olive trees that are nurtured and cultivated with effort in the rugged and challenging nature of Artvin not only serve as a source of income but also represent the preservation of a deep-rooted heritage and culture for the local people.