BLACK TRUFFLES WILL BE PRODUCED ON 20 ACRES OF LAND

Mehmet KAYA

ANKARA - Black truffles, among the world's most expensive agricultural products, will be cultivated in the Ula district of Muğla. Furthermore, the income generated from this foundation-funded operation will be used to provide educational scholarships.

Turkey's largest truffle investment will take place at the EGET Foundation Armutçuk Agricultural Enterprise, established this month by the founders of the EGET Foundation, which was founded to provide educational scholarships.

The first oak saplings, inoculated with black truffle (Tuber melanosporum) spores, have been planted. The first harvest is expected in 2019. It has been noted that black truffles fetch around 1000 Euros per kilogram.

The ceremony held at the EGET Foundation's Armutçuk Agricultural Enterprise to plant the first saplings was attended by Muğla Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Osman Gürün, CHP Muğla Member of Parliament Nurettin Demir, former President of the Chamber of Agricultural Engineers and CHP Muğla 22nd Term Member of Parliament Gürol Ergin, and numerous volunteers who came to plant saplings. Özlem Uzman, one of the foundation's founders, emphasized that the income generated from the enterprises will be used for educational scholarships and stated, “After completing its structuring in Muğla, the EGET Foundation plans to develop in two main areas: national and international. Its national projects will include opening branches in other provinces, organizing events to enlighten the public in the fields of organic farming, ecology, geriatrics, and alternative tourism, establishing exemplary enterprises, and expanding the educational scholarships it will provide. On the international level, it will collaborate with expert scientists in their fields to ensure that developments in its areas of interest are also disseminated in our country.”

It was stated that oak saplings planted at the Eget Foundation's Armutçuk Agricultural Enterprise were inoculated with black truffles under the supervision of Assoc. Dr. Aziz Türkoğlu, Director of the Truffle Application and Research Center at Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University. Lavender and lavender honey will also be produced as byproducts alongside truffles at the Eget Foundation's agricultural enterprise.

Information provided by the foundation emphasized that the goal is to generate up to 600,000 TL annually from black truffles alone when the agricultural enterprise is at full productivity. It was highlighted that the 20,000 square meter (20 decare) area where saplings will be planted represents the largest truffle production investment in Turkey.

The EGET Foundation, established with donations from Özlem Uzman and Safai Özer, owns two separate plots of land purchased by the founders: one in the Elkin and Böbecen regions of Ula district in Muğla for tourism and geriatric activities, and another near Armutçuk Village for agricultural activities.