Sason villagers harvest wild pistacia terebinthus for local economy

In the Sason district of Batman, Turkey, villagers are harvesting wild pistacia terebinthus (menengiç) to support their livelihoods. As autumn arrives, locals collect the naturally growing fruit from forested areas to produce several key items.

The harvesting process involves washing the fruit and removing the shells before drying. Once dried, the product is used in three primary ways: it is crushed to make caffeine-free menengiç coffee, roasted with salt to create a winter snack known locally as ‘çitlembik’, or boiled in large cauldrons for approximately two days to produce natural soap.

Local resident İsmet Çelik noted that the fruit is collected during its ripening period in October. While much of the yield is used for personal consumption, the surplus is sold in markets to provide essential additional income for families. Natural soap produced through this method reportedly sells for around 750 lira.