18.10.2025 16:35
While the chestnut harvest in the Aydın and İzmir mountains is in full swing, workers who climb high trees to perform this dangerous job are earning up to 5,000 lira a day. Despite the challenging conditions, producers are satisfied with the yield, while the workers are complaining about their daily wages.
The harvest rush has begun with the cooling weather in the mountains between Aydın and İzmir, which are important chestnut production centers. While producers are racing against time these days in the mountains between Köşk, Sultanhisar, Nazilli, and Ödemiş district of İzmir, the chestnuts harvested by men climbing the chestnut trees, which reach heights of 60-70 meters in some places, are collected by women. The chestnuts, which are expected to ripen in areas called "dökek," are later sorted from their spines and prepared for export.
Chestnut producer Ömer Öztürk, stating that the market has not yet formed due to the season just starting, expressed that the yield is currently good; "The season is good right now. The season was delayed by 3-5 days due to the heat, but the yield looks good this year. We are satisfied with our work. Would we do it if we weren't satisfied?" he said.
PRODUCERS ARE HOPEFUL FOR THE SEASON
Chestnut producer Sedat Özdemir, expressing that their expectations for chestnut prices this season are good, said, "The time for harvesting has come. We started around this time last year as well. Thank God, the situation is good. It improved with the rains; it was in bad condition before. But after the rain, they became better. May God provide for us. It is said that the prices for the broken chestnuts are currently fluctuating between 100 and 150 TL, but the prices are not yet clear. Our expectations for this season are good," he said.
Ayşe Özdemir, stating that the prices, which were around 130 TL last year, are not yet clear this year, said, "We don't know the prices since we haven't sold yet. It will become clear eventually. Whatever is destined for us will happen. Destiny," she said.
"DAILY WAGE IS HIGH BUT THERE ARE NO WORKERS TO HIRE"
Naciye Kavas expressed that the biggest problem for chestnut producers is finding workers, saying, "We are collecting chestnuts. It is a difficult job, of course. It hurts our hands. But it is very hard to find workers. That is the biggest problem. We are looking, but we can't find any. The daily wage is also very high. If we sell the chestnuts, we won't be able to pay the wages. But still, we can't find workers. The harvest lasts about 20 days," she said.
THEY EARN 5,000 TL
Atıf Ak, one of the chestnut workers from Koçak Neighborhood, emphasized that climbing trees requires courage, saying, "We are shaking the chestnuts. Of course, it is a difficult job. It depends on the conditions and the state of the tree. Not everyone can do it. It requires courage. The trees are high. There is a risk. They say the daily wages this year are between 3,500 and 5,000 TL, but the prices also change according to the condition of the trees," he said.