Akhisar Mayor Besim Dutlulu and Akhisar Commodity Exchange President Alper Alhat signed a protocol for a licensed warehouse with a capacity of 6,500 tons. The facility, which will be realized in Akhisar and will be the first licensed warehouse of olive and olive oil in Turkey, will allow the products to be stored in a hygienic and air-conditioned environment. The facility will also allow the products of producers in Akhisar and the surrounding regions to be stored in healthy conditions and marketed at their value.
Many Advantages for Akhisar Farmers
Farmers, who are exempted from many expenses with the withholding, rent, analysis and transportation support provided by the state in licensed warehousing, will have the opportunity to earn more profit from the harvest period by selling their products when they are valued. Stating that they have taken one of the most important steps for Akhisar to become an olive and olive oil center as it deserves, Mayor Besim Dutlulu said, “As Akhisar Commodity Exchange and Akhisar Olive and Olive Oil Specialized OIZ, we are breaking new ground in Turkey and in total for our olive and olive oil producers. We bring our 6.500 ton licensed warehouse to our city. In this way, both our producers will go to land and our city will become an olive and olive oil center as it deserves. I believe that a very important step has been taken for our farmers, producers and Akhisar. Thank you to everyone who contributed. Good luck to our city”. Akhisar Commodity Exchange Chairman Alper Alhat said, “I would like to thank Akhisar Mayor Besim Dutlulu and his team for their help. I congratulate the investors on behalf of Akhisar for their support and leadership in such a project. Good luck”.
About Akhisar
Akhisar is a municipality and district of Manisa Province, Turkey. Its area is 1,645 km2 and its population is around 178,000.
With archaeological findings that are proving settlements going back to 3000 BC, Akhisar has been a busy trade center with its strategic location at the intersection of important roads during ancient and medieval ages. Akhisar also hosted one of the Seven churches of Asia: Thyatira, which is mentioned in the Bible. Akhisar maintained its importance as a regional trade center during the Ottoman period.
Today’s Akhisar is still the trade and business center in its region. Akhisar’s name is internationally associated with tobacco. The fertile Akhisar Plain produces about 10% of total Turkish tobacco production. Akhisar’s high-quality olives and olive oil are also globally known. Olive, walnut and almond cultivation is among the important agricultural activities of Akhisar.
Akhisar is a rising city with its hardworking and friendly people. Akhisar is home to 14 million olive trees. This makes it the district with the highest number of olive trees in Turkey.
Even though Turkey’s verified oldest olive tree is located in Akhisar, it is the Capital of Olives thanks to fertile olive groves suitable for mechanised agriculture that has been planted in the past 40 years. Akhisar has the highest quantities and the most consistent quality levels in Turkey. Hence, both local entrepreneurs and bigger national olive companies established their olive and olive oil businesses in Akhisar.
The Care for Olive Trees
Have you ever considered why the olive oils produced in Akhisar are both top-notch and reasonably priced? The dedicated farmers of Akhisar meticulously tend to their olive trees, ensuring a high yield of table olives. The olive oil is extracted from smaller olives that aren’t suitable for table use.
Standards for Table Olives
To qualify as table olives, a fruit must possess an attractive appearance. As a result, the olive groves are irrigated during the summer months, enriched with fertilizers, and monitored for pest control. During the harvesting period, olives are meticulously handpicked to prevent damage and are then transported in breathable crates. After harvesting, they are sorted by size, with larger and medium-sized olives designated for table consumption while smaller ones are processed for oil.
Premium Quality, Low Acidity
In essence, the olive oils from Akhisar are of superior quality and possess low acidity levels because they are produced from olives that meet table standards.
Diverse Olive Cultivars
Akhisar is home to five distinct olive varieties. Some of these olives are harvested while they are still green, while others are picked once they have ripened to a black color. Oil extracted from green olives is labeled as Early Harvest and tends to be characterized by a distinct bitterness. Conversely, oil derived from black olives presents a milder flavor profile.
A Range of Flavors for Every Palate
By cultivating various olive cultivars, Akhisar is able to offer oils that cater to diverse taste preferences.