“TRUFFLE” WILL BE A SCHOLARSHIP FOR STUDENTS
News Source: Milliyet
The Education, Geriatrics, Ecological Agriculture, Tourism (EGET) Foundation plans to harvest the first truffle, known as the “black diamond” in the world and the food of the rich, in Muğla in 2024. The income from the truffle, which costs 1000 euros per kilo, will be a scholarship for both university and agricultural high school students.
MELTEM GÜNEŞ Ankara – While the products and services provided by forest ecosystems are needed more than in the past due to the climate crisis, increasing population and decreasing natural resources, truffles, which have a high economic value, are of great importance for the forest, agriculture and food sectors. In this context, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry added truffles to the Farmer Registration System (ÇKS) and included their production within the scope of incentives.
Truffles can be found with specially trained dogs.
‘1000 euros a kilo’
Özlem Uzman, one of the founders of EGET Foundation, said in a statement that they established Turkey’s largest private truffle plantation on a total area of 22 acres in Muğla. Stating that they planted 415 oak saplings inoculated with truffle spores purchased from Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University Truffle Application and Research Center in 2015, Uzman said, “We plan to have the first harvest of this mushroom, which can be found with specially trained dogs and can cost up to 1000 euros per kilo, in 2024. The income to be obtained will be a scholarship for students.”
Stating that they planted lavender among the oak saplings in order to add additional value to the land during the development phase of the truffle, Uzman said, “We proved that lavender can be grown in the coastal region. Scholarship income was obtained by selling lavender saplings to farmers who wanted them. Lavender honey was obtained from hives placed around the land. The beekeepers of the region have also brought their hives to the region since the second year.”