10.01.2026 15:07
Women from Kozan are contributing to the economy by turning oranges, which have no buyers in the field, into jam and sour sauce through a 5-day collective production effort. The product, which costs 5 TL per kilogram in the field, finds buyers for 200-300 TL in jam and 300 TL in sour sauce after processing.
In Adana, the bitter orange, which has no buyers on the tree, is being transformed into jam and sour sauce thanks to the collective efforts of women from Kozan, contributing to the economy. After a laborious process lasting five days, the products find buyers for 200-300 TL.
REACHING 300 LIRA IN THE POT, 5 LIRA IN THE FIELD
In Adana, one of the important centers of citrus production, the bitter orange, which resembles an orange but has no value on the tree due to its sour aroma, is being transformed into a value-added product through the initiative of women in the Acarmantaş neighborhood of Kozan. While jam is made from the peels of the bitter orange, the inner part and pulp are evaluated as "sour sauce."
PRODUCTION WITH FIVE DAYS OF LABOR
In the production process that begins with the harvest of the bitter orange, women clean the fruit's peels by grating them with a washing pot system they developed themselves. The peels are boiled and then soaked in water for four days to remove the bitterness. The peels, whose water is changed morning and evening, are strung and rested before being boiled for hours in black cauldrons over a wood fire to be turned into jam.
"SOUR IS SOLD FOR 300 TL"
Gülsüm Pazarcı, who produces through collective efforts, stated that a significant transformation is taking place with the bitter orange, saying, "The bitter orange, which is 5 TL per kilo in the field, finds buyers for 200-300 TL when it enters the pot. We make jam from the peel and sour from the pulp. The price of the sour is also 300 TL. There is a lot of labor involved."
"WE PRODUCE 5 TONS A YEAR"
Özlem Dinler, one of the producers, stated, "The bitter orange has no value in the field, we women evaluated it. We support each other through collective efforts. Our jam is sold for 200-300 TL. The sour made from the pulp is in high demand. This labor lasts for 5 days. We produce about 5 tons a year and receive orders from all over Turkey through social media."
"WE PRODUCE INSTEAD OF SITTING IN FRONT OF THE TELEVISION"
Gülizar Dinler, who helps with production, also stated, "The bitter orange has no value on the tree, but grating it is very difficult. That's why they developed this method. Instead of spending time in front of the television, we contribute to both the household economy and the national economy."