06.03.2025 08:50
In Amasya, the price of flower okra has reached 3,500 TL, surpassing the price of a gram of gold. Known as 'yellow gold' among the public, flower okra stands out as the most expensive product in the market. Producers indicate that prices may rise even further due to increasing demand and the challenging harvesting process.
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The price of Amasya's geographically marked flower okra has surpassed the price of gold per gram. Due to its yellow color and the fact that it has never lost its material value, the flower okra, which the public refers to as "yellow gold," is sold for 3,500 TL per kilogram in the Amasya local market. With a price competing with gold, okra has become the most expensive product in the market. Okra sells more easily than gold, finding buyers at all hours of the day. Buyers can even come to the producer's door late at night. Last year, the production of okra in the province reached 2,500 tons, contributing 367 million TL to the economy.
Metin Kantarcı, a 42-year-old tradesman selling dried okra for 3,500 TL per kilogram in the Amasya local market, stated, "There is an okra market just like the gold exchange. The price goes up and down. Right now, it is 3,500 TL. It was 2,700 TL a month and a half ago. In recent months, the price has skyrocketed. No one can catch up. Those who have okra have been revitalized in the meantime. Even if they can't buy an apartment, they can buy two or three flats," he said.
"JEWELERS ARE NOT OPEN AT NIGHT. BUT OKRA SELLERS ARE OPEN." Kantarcı pointed out that okra, sold for cash, can be easily converted into money like gold, and that buyers come to the producer's door. "It can even be sold at night. Jewelers are not open. But okra sellers are open. Flower okra was competing with gold per gram. It will probably catch up with the quarter gold," he said.
MINI OKRAS ARE STRUNG ONE BY ONE WITH A NEEDLE Throughout the summer, the tiny okras, collected early in the morning by producers along with their flowers, are then strung one by one with a needle and left to dry. The process of stringing okras continues until late hours. The okra, which is considered the main dish at ceremonies, weddings, and religious gatherings, is consumed in significant quantities, especially in Konya and Kayseri, and its harvest is very labor-intensive.
THE HARVEST IS VERY LABOR-INTENSIVE Emre Can Kantarcı explained that the harvest of okra is very labor-intensive, stating, "The reason for the increase in the price of okra and its demand is that harvesting it is very labor-intensive. The stages of planting, harvesting, stringing, and drying the product before it reaches the market are very labor-intensive, so I believe its price will increase even more."
THE MOST EXPENSIVE IN THE MARKET IS FLOWER OKRA Noting that flower okra is among the most expensive products in the Amasya local market, where dozens of products are sold, Tolga Güven, President of the Amasya Market Traders Association, stated that last year, 2,500 tons of flower okra were produced in an area of 5,500 decares, contributing 367 million TL to the economy. Güven emphasized that this contribution is expected to increase even more this year.
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