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, a visit to an olive oil factory, olive oil tasting competitions, and the distribution of olive saplings to citizens along with various gifts and awards.

The event, held at 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, representatives of NGOs, village heads, producers, and citizens. The opening speech of the festival was delivered by Aliağa District Director of Agriculture and Forestry Mazlum Selim Aksakal. Aksakal highlighted the significant share of olives in agricultural production in Aliağa, stating, “Olive production in Aliağa is done in two types: for table olives and for oil. Our district has 8 olive oil factories and a table olive packaging facility. This year, we are holding the third olive harvest festival to increase olive production and to make our olives and olive oil a brand. I thank everyone who contributed to the organization. If we want to benefit from the blessings of these olive trees, we must make olives and olive oil an indispensable part of our meals.”

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

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

Three separate tasting competitions at the Harvest Festival

As part of the festival, ‘Olive Oil Tasting Competition,’ ‘Crushed Olive Competition,’ and ‘Olive Oil Stuffed Grape Leaves Tasting Competition’ were held. The jury members for the Olive Oil Tasting Competition included Berna Yıldırım, Dr. Elif Burçin Uyanık from the Izmir Olive Research Institute, Aliağa Municipality Deputy Mayor Mesut Öztürk, and Producer Nazan Aras. For the Crushed Olive Competition, the jury consisted of Dr. Elif Burçin Uyanık from the Izmir Olive Research Institute, Ferişte Öztürk Güngör, and Producer Şerif Uslu from Hacıömerli Neighborhood. In the Olive Oil Stuffed Grape Leaves Tasting Competition, the jury included 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, Aliağa District Governor Zekeriya Güney presented the awards to the winners of the Olive Oil Stuffed Grape Leaves Tasting Competition, Garrison Commander Air Engineering Colonel Mehmet Şahin presented the awards to the winners of the Crushed Olive Competition, and Aliağa Municipality Deputy Mayor Mesut Öztürk presented the awards to the winners of the Olive Oil Tasting Competition. The program concluded with a musical performance.