Mastic cultivation and harvesting in Turkey

Mastic harvesting has commenced in different regions of Turkey as part of efforts to cultivate medicinal and aromatic plants.

In Balıkesir, the Balıkesir Farmers Training Center (BAÇEM) completed its first harvest in the Burhaniye district. This follows a five-year period since the planting of 150 trees of the ‘C clone’ variety, which were sourced from Çeşme. Local officials noted that the successful cultivation demonstrates the potential for the North Aegean region to provide a new source of agricultural income.

In Muğla, the first harvest marks the culmination of an 11-year project initiated in 2015 by the General Directorate of Plant Production under the Medicinal Aromatic and Dye Plants Development Project (TAB Project). The initiative has established roughly 100 decares of production areas. Due to the slow growth of the plant, trees have only recently reached maturity, with each tree yielding between 250 grams and 1 kilogram of product.

The harvested mastic holds significant market value, with wholesale prices reported between 30,000 and 35,000 TL per kilogram, and some market prices reaching up to 50,000 TL. To reduce reliance on imports for the food, cosmetic, and industrial sectors, authorities are working to expand production beyond the Kavaklıdere and Yatağan districts. This expansion involves a collaboration between the Aegean Agricultural Research Institute, the Regional Directorate of Forestry, and the South Aegean Development Agency (GEKA), which are currently conducting inventories and quality analyses on leaf and resin samples to establish a roadmap for further cultivation.