Persimmon harvest begins in Çiğdemlik village, Amasya

The harvest season for persimmons, locally referred to as “yellow gold,” has commenced in the Çiğdemlik village of Amasya. The fruit, which covers more than half of the village's 1,500 decares of agricultural land, has transitioned from an overlooked crop left for birds to a primary source of income for local residents.

Producers harvest the fruit from tall trees using ladders, with fresh persimmons selling for prices starting at 20 TL per kilogram. In addition to fresh sales, villagers add value to the crop by peeling and stringing the fruit to dry naturally without additives. Dried persimmons command a higher market value than the fresh variety.

Village head Mustafa Kurt noted that the production originated from a single tree planted approximately 100 years ago. While agricultural frost prevented a harvest last season, this year has seen high yields. Kurt expressed that establishing a persimmon drying facility could potentially triple the village's income.