21.05.2026 14:10
In the Kavak district of Samsun, the harvest of salep, known as "gold from the soil," has begun. With dried salep reaching up to 12,000 TL per kilogram, it provides high profits to producers. While producers state that they sell to all parts of Turkey, it was announced that a total of 55 tons of salep were produced in Samsun in 2025. Authorities announced that they are working on cooperative models and grant supports to expand salep production due to its ability to generate high income from small areas.
In the Kavak district of Samsun, the harvest of salep, described as "gold from the soil," has begun. With its dried form priced between 5,000 and 12,000 Turkish Lira per kilogram, salep provides high profits for producers while attracting great interest in the market.
A harvest event was held at the Salep Application Center in the Çakıyeri area of Çakallı Neighborhood, Kavak district. At the event, producers noted that salep is an important source of income due to its ability to generate high yields from small areas. It was reported that seed salep ranges from 2,500 to 4,000 Turkish Lira, and the harvest is ongoing.
"WE SHIP ALL OVER TURKEY"
Salep producer Murat Kayacı stated that production has grown over the years, saying, "We have been producing salep for 9 years. Currently, along with sub-producers, we have expanded to 17 decares. We purchase salep from them, boil it, dry it, and turn it into powder. We sell it. We ship it all over Turkey. The interest is very high."
"THERE IS MONEY IN THIS BUSINESS"
Another producer, Ramazan Aktaş, highlighted the rise in prices, stating, "Last year, dried salep closed between 2,000 and 8,000 TL, but this year, ice cream makers say that 1 kilogram of dried salep could go up to 12,000 TL. Its added value increases every year. We don't just ship to Samsun but to all 81 provinces of Turkey. Salep is a plant that requires monitoring. If weeds surround the salep, one might think cultivation has failed. Monitoring and effort are crucial in this business. There is money in this business. However, money should be a tool, not a goal."
"BIG INCOME FROM SMALL AREAS"
Provincial Director of Agriculture and Forestry Kemal Yılmaz provided information on production capacity in Samsun, saying, "Some of our salep producers cultivate for propagation purposes. Of the 106 decares under production in Samsun, 88 decares are for propagation. There is 44 tons of salep production for propagation purposes. Some of our producers produce salep for food purposes. On 18 decares of land, there is 11 tons of salep production for food. In 2025, 55 tons of salep were produced. Salep is an extremely important plant because it generates high income from small areas."
"GROWTH GOAL THROUGH COOPERATIVE MODEL"
Kavak District Governor Taha Genç said, "We have an existing project. We submitted our project to DOKAP. In the first phase, we aim to provide approximately 6 million TL in grant support and seedling support, with the goal of distributing these seedlings to our producers. We believe that at least 10 decares of land are necessary for efficient salep production. However, if we can achieve this through a cooperative model, production can be done not just on 10 decares, but on much smaller areas, even on a square meter scale. Our producers can then convert this into added value and sell it through the cooperative."