The “3rd Olive Harvest Festival” was held in Aliağa.

The 3rd traditional olive harvest festival, organized by the Aliağa District Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, was held this year in Helvacı. The event included symbolic olive harvesting, visits to olive oil factories, olive oil tasting competitions, and the distribution of olive saplings to citizens, along with various gifts and awards.

The event, held in Helvacı Square, was attended by Aliağa District Governor Zekeriya Güney, Aliağa Deputy Mayor Mesut Öztürk, Garrison Commander Air Engineering Colonel Mehmet Şahin, Aliağa District Director of Agriculture and Forestry Mazlum Selim Aksakal, department heads, representatives of political parties, NGO representatives, village heads, producers, and citizens.

Aliağa District Director of Agriculture and Forestry Mazlum Selim Aksakal stated, “We Must Make Olive and Olive Oil an Indispensable Part of Our Table.”

The opening speech of the festival was delivered by Aliağa District Director of Agriculture and Forestry Mazlum Selim Aksakal. Emphasizing the significant share of olives in agricultural production in Aliağa, Aksakal said, “Olive production in Aliağa is done in two forms: for table olives and for oil. Our district has 8 olive oil factories and a packaging facility for table olives. We are holding the third olive harvest festival this year to increase olive production and turn our olives and olive oils into a brand. I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the organization. If we want to benefit from the blessings of olive trees, we must make olives and olive oil an indispensable part of our table.”

“The Most Important Agricultural Activity in Aliağa is Olive Cultivation”

Stating the importance of olive cultivation in Aliağa, District Governor Zekeriya Güney said, “Aliağa contributes significantly to the national economy through its industry and ports. In addition, we want to highlight the agricultural activities of our district. The most important agricultural activity in Aliağa is olive cultivation. To demonstrate the importance of olive cultivation, we have gathered with our producers in a festive atmosphere. I thank everyone who contributed, participated, and sponsored this event.”

“I Have Been Engaged in Olive Farming for 24 Years”

Aliağa Deputy Mayor Mesut Öztürk served as a jury member in the olive oil tasting competition. Öztürk expressed his thoughts about the organization: “I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the realization of this organization, especially our esteemed Governor and District Director of Agriculture. I have been engaged in olive farming for 24 years. I thank all the competing friends who participated in the event for their efforts.”

Three Different Tasting Competitions at the Harvest Festival

Within the scope of the festival, the ‘Olive Oil Tasting Competition’, ‘Crushed Olive Competition’, and ‘Olive Oil Wrapped Tasting Competition’ were organized. The jury members for the Olive Oil Tasting Competition were Berna Yıldırım, Dr. Elif Burçin Uyanık from the İzmir Olive Research Institute, Aliağa Deputy Mayor Mesut Öztürk, and producer Nazan Aras. The jury members for the Crushed Olive Competition were Dr. Elif Burçin Uyanık from the İzmir Olive Research Institute, Ferişte Öztürk Güngör, and producer Şerif Uslu from Hacıömerli Mahallesi. For the Olive Oil Wrapped Tasting Competition, the jury members were Aliağa District Governor Zekeriya Güney, Garrison Commander Air Engineering Colonel Mehmet Şahin, Chef Sedat Çetiner, and Chef Emrah Tütüncüoğlu.

At the end of the festival program, awards were presented by Aliağa District Governor Zekeriya Güney to the winners of the Olive Oil Wrapped Tasting Competition, by Garrison Commander Air Engineering Colonel Mehmet Şahin to the winners of the Crushed Olive Competition, and by Aliağa Deputy Mayor Mesut Öztürk to the winners of the Olive Oil Tasting Competition. The program concluded with a music performance.