01.09.2025 23:05
Grape harvesting in Manisa is continuing at a fast pace. Farmers work in the vineyards during the day, arranging the grapes for display, while at night they keep watch against theft and wild animals. The gendarmerie is also supporting the producers by ensuring security in the fields. Grapes, which have reached record prices per kilogram, are making their way to the tables as a result of hard work and patience.
The seedless grapes, which have been grown for centuries in the Gediz Basin extending from the Menemen district of İzmir to the Sarıgöl district of Manisa, go through an intensive labor process during the harvest season.
DAYTIME HARVEST AND EXHIBITION, NIGHTTIME GUARD DUTY The workday begins at sunrise and continues with the transportation of grapes cut from the vineyards to the exhibition areas by tractors. The grapes are washed with a mixture of water, olive oil, and potassium carbonate, known as "posata," to make them look brighter and protect them from the sun's scorching rays before being spread out for display. The grapes, which are left in the sun for about 10 days, turn from green to brown and become dried grapes.
However, the farmers' work does not end there. Producers who collect the dried grapes from the exhibitions at night spend their nights in the vineyards and exhibitions to protect their products from theft and wild animals.
THEY TAKE TURNS GUARDING AT NIGHT Burcu Sever Özgenç, a producer in the Turgutlu district of Manisa, stated that the harvest and drying work in the vineyards they carefully maintain throughout the year continues in a 24-hour cycle. Özgenç explained that they carry out this process with her father and sisters, adding that they take turns keeping watch at night.
Özgenç noted that the harvest starts very early in the morning, saying, "We pick up the workers around 5:30. By 6, we are in the fields. First, they have breakfast. Then we start cutting the grapes. After cutting the grapes, we load them onto tractors and bring them to the exhibition area. Here, we dip them in a special water, which we call dipping water, and spread them on the exhibition cloths." Özgenç explained that the grapes in the exhibition dry in about 10 days, stating, "After they dry, we start collecting them. We harvest grapes from the vineyard while also collecting the dried grapes." she said.
Özgenç emphasized that the work continues at night during the grape drying process, stating: "My siblings and I support my family at every stage of the grape process. Even though we work in different jobs, we help our family during the harvest season when the work is intense. We take turns keeping watch at night. The reason we keep watch is that theft is very common during this period. We do not want the products we have worked hard for all year to be stolen, so we keep watch at night. We also always have a gun with us against wild animals. We work during the day and stay awake at night, but we have to do this to protect our grapes."
"WE FORGET OUR FATIGUE WHEN WE RECEIVE THE REWARD FOR OUR LABOR" Producer Halil İbrahim Gümüş also stated that the harvest season is spent with intense labor day and night. Gümüş noted that they spread the grapes they cut during the day in the vineyards to dry, saying, "My two sons support me. We are in the vineyard during the day and at the exhibition at night. We stay awake, but when we receive the reward for our labor, we forget our fatigue."
THE GENDARMERIE IS NOT IN THE BARRACKS, BUT ON GUARD IN THE FIELDS The gendarmerie soldiers are not in the barracks but are directly on guard in the vineyards, standing by the producers day and night. Especially on nights when the risk of theft increases, soldiers on duty at various points in the vineyards patrol diligently to ensure the safety of the farmers' labor. This way, both the peace of the producers increases and the agricultural activities in the region can continue uninterrupted.
PRICES HAVE REACHED RECORD LEVELS This year, especially for grape producers, a favorable period is being experienced. With the high quality of the products and the increase in demand in the market, grape prices have reached record levels. Last year, table grapes were sold for an average of 12-15 TL per kilogram, while this season they have risen above 25 TL, starting to meet the producers' labor. In the case of dried grapes, prices have risen to 30 TL depending on the quality.