16.10.2026 22:41
Harvest of gilaburu, known as 'red gold' in Kayseri, has begun. Producers who suffered yield loss due to frost events last year rejoiced this year with a high harvest. The fruit, grown in Akkışla and Bünyan districts and quite rich in vitamin C, is left in water for about a month after being collected. Gilaburu, consumed especially in winter months, is sold in 5-kilogram containers for 500 lira.
The harvest of gilaburu, which grows especially in the Akkışla and Bünyan districts of Kayseri, has begun. Unlike the frost events experienced last year, the high yield this year of the gilaburu fruit, whose harvest begins in the city around the end of September and the middle of October, made producers smile.
IT IS CALLED 'RED GOLD' IN THE CITY Gilaburu, which has red, grape-sized berries, gains a unique aroma from the city's soil structure and the wind of Erciyes. Gilaburu, which is said to help pass kidney stones and have natural painkiller properties and contains a high amount of vitamin C, is frequently consumed in the city. After the harvested products are cleaned, they are filled into drums and bottles to be pickled. The fruits, with water added on top, are left to ripen and become ready for consumption after about 1 month. Gilaburu, called 'red gold' in the city, is crushed and sweetened in the winter months and consumed both as juice and as a table food.
"WE SERVE IT INSTEAD OF SOFT DRINKS" Ahmet Ulu, who produces gilaburu in the Gürpınar Neighborhood of Melikgazi district, noting that the harvest continues until November, said, "The harvest is done by picking one by one by hand, without spilling the berries. We collect them in buckets and sell them. Gilaburus are made into pickles. After being kept in water for about 1 month, their juice can be squeezed and drunk. They can also be eaten berry by berry. The yield is very good this year. Last year frost hit it, but this year it is very good. We usually do the harvest using the communal work method. Every day the neighbors gather and go to a garden. In Kayseri, on special days, especially religious holidays, we squeeze gilaburu juice and serve it to guests. We generally do not serve cola or soft drinks; we serve gilaburu juice. I heard that it is good for diabetes and good for passing kidney stones. We make it like pickles and drink its juice, otherwise when first picked from the branch it is very bitter," he said.
"ITS PRICE PER KILO IS BETWEEN 70 AND 100 LIRA" Stating that the economic return of the fruit is higher than other agricultural products, Ulu said, "The economy of gilaburu is good. It has a better return than apples and pears. It is sold for between 70 and 100 lira per kilo. Factories and processors generally buy from us. They take what we collect daily to the factory. They, like us, pickle them, clean them, put them in water, squeeze them, and drink them. We get through this work with the communal work method and everyone helping each other. Those who cannot eat it can add a little sugar into it to break its bitterness," he said.
"IT IS SOLD FOR 500 LIRA IN 5-KILOGRAM DRUMS" Eyüp Gül, who trades gilaburu in the region, said, "There is strong demand for our products collected one by one by hand. Compared to previous years, demand is higher this year. We do both the harvesting and the selling. Last year, our products were hit by frost due to the cold, but this year the products are very good. The yield made us happy. We collect the products and wash them in basins. We put them in drums, add water on top, and preserve them that way. If stored in a dark and cool place, the product can last longer. It is known that its natural consumption is good for many diseases. Right now, our products are sold for 500 lira in 5-kilogram drums, but the price may change after the harvest," he said.