02.11.2026 20:02
İlhan Gürel, 51, who started growing Deveci pears as a hobby 17 years ago in the Ayvacık district of Çanakkale, now aims to obtain 150-160 tons of produce annually from 500 trees. While the giant pears, each reaching up to 1 kilogram, attract attention with their size, the produce is sold for between 50 and 100 TL per kilogram. Gürel said he had a productive harvest season this year in the production he started on a 10-decare area.
İlhan Gürel, who turned the pear growing he started as a hobby into a major production over the years, achieved a remarkable success in Çanakkale. The pears grown in the orchard of Gürel, who today harvests tons of produce from the trees he planted 17 years ago, also surprise with their size.
STARTED AS A HOBBY 17 YEARS AGO
51-year-old İlhan Gürel, living in Ümmühan Neighborhood of the Ayvacık district of Çanakkale, began growing Deveci pears as a hobby in 2009. Gürel, who first planted pear trees on a 10-decare plot of land, continued his production over the years as the trees developed and yields increased. Today, the producer, who has 500 Deveci pear trees in his orchard, is reaping the rewards of his 17 years of labor with a high amount of produce. Gürel stated that this year's harvest was quite productive and that he expects total production to reach 150-160 tons. Explaining that pear growing is not as easy as it looks from the outside, Gürel emphasized that the product requires regular and intensive care.
"IT REQUIRES TWICE AS MUCH CARE COMPARED TO APPLES"
Stating that growing Deveci pears is a laborious job, İlhan Gürel described the years he started production and the point he has reached today with these words: "We entered the fruit tree sector with the Deveci pear trees we planted in 2009. Our trees are also 16-17 years old. We have reached the yield we wanted. But it is a difficult product to care for. No matter how much care you give to apples, you need to give twice as much care to this. It is a product that requires labor. We left a 10-decare area as pears. On the other 10 decares of our orchard, I grow walnuts." Gürel grows pears on 10 decares and walnuts on the other 10 decares. The farmer, who stated that he has reached the desired yield in the production he has continued for years, underlined that Deveci pear requires intensive labor.
THREE OF THEM WEIGH MORE THAN 2 KILOGRAMS
The most striking feature of the Deveci pears grown in İlhan Gürel's orchard is their size. Some pears weigh up to 800-900 grams, even 1 kilogram. The total weight of three pears can exceed 2 kilograms. Giving information about the sizes of the products, Gürel said: "A pear can reach 800-900 grams, even 1 kilogram. We have seen these sizes, too. We currently have 500 trees. We had a good fruit year this year. This year we will also harvest 150-160 tons of pears."
SOLD FOR 50 TO 100 LIRAS PER KILOGRAM
İlhan Gürel, who achieved high yields this year, continues his harvest work. The producer, who has so far harvested about 50 tons of Deveci pears, sells his products at prices ranging from 50 to 100 TL per kilogram. Gürel, who expects annual production to reach 150-160 tons, stated that Deveci pear stands out with both its durability and taste. The producer sorts the fruits into different classes according to their weights. Accordingly, pears of 300-400 grams are called second class, those of 500-600 grams first class, and those of 700 grams and above are called double.
"TWO PEARS WEIGH 1.5 KILOGRAMS"
Stating that Deveci pear is a winter fruit, Gürel said that the product has a firmer structure than summer pears. He explained that the fruit, which stands out with its sweet and juicy structure, particularly draws attention in its large sizes. Gürel explained the characteristics of the product with these words: "These are Deveci pears. They are a winter fruit. They are not soft like summer pears. They are firm. They are sweet and juicy. I can say that diabetics should not consume too much. Of these pears, 300-400 grams is second class, 500-600 grams is first class, and 700 grams and above we call double. That is how it is known. The consumption of the double is also funny. When we sell to our customers, 2 pears weigh 1.5 kilograms. But as our pears get larger, the sweetness ratio also increases. I can say that quality increases as the gram weight rises."