Çağlayancerit walnut harvest begins in Kahramanmaraş

The harvest of EU-registered Çağlayancerit walnuts has begun in the Kahramanmaraş province of Turkey. Known locally as ‘green gold,’ these walnuts received a geographical indication from the European Union in 2023 due to their unique taste, size, and aroma.

Ömer Çedene, President of the Çağlayancerit Chamber of Agriculture, stated that there are approximately 800,000 walnut trees in the district. While previous years were impacted by agricultural frost, this year’s production is expected to reach 8,000 tons. Çedene noted that the quality of this year's crop is high, specifically highlighting the whiter color of the walnut meat.

Workers, referred to as ‘çıpkıcılar,’ use long poles to harvest the nuts from the branches. Once collected, the walnuts are transported to local processing and packaging facilities where they are shelled, processed, and prepared for sale.