EGET FOUNDATION PLANTS SAPLINGS AT TURKEY'S LARGEST PRIVATE TRUFFLE FARM

Source: Gazete Şah

The Eget Foundation, which has reached the final stage of its establishment process, will be planting oak saplings infected with black truffle spores in Muğla-Ula on Sunday, May 24th.

The Eget Foundation, whose primary aim is to provide scholarships to high school and university students facing economic hardship, states that they consider establishing economic enterprises essential to create revolving capital for the foundation. The foundation's first agricultural enterprise is planting oak saplings in Armutçuk Village, Muğla-Ula, grown under the supervision of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aziz Türkoğlu, Director of the Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University Truffle Application and Research Center.

The 20,000 m² enterprise will produce lavender and lavender honey as byproducts alongside truffles.

On Sunday, May 24th, those participating in this event will plant the saplings that will be transferred to the field. The Eget Foundation's Armutçuk Agricultural Enterprise, which will harvest its first truffles in 2019, aims to produce 200 kg of truffles annually from 2025 onwards.

Black truffles (Tuber melanosporum), which fetch an average of €1000 on world markets, will provide the foundation with approximately 600,000 TL in annual revenue.

The Eget Foundation also plans to establish tourism businesses focused on organic farming and geriatrics. These businesses, which they have submitted for evaluation within the scope of Muğla Metropolitan Municipality's zoning studies, are planned to be located on an area larger than 200,000 m².

According to a written statement by Özlem Uzman, one of the foundation's founders, after completing its structure in Muğla, the Eget Foundation plans to develop in two main areas: national and international. National projects will include opening branches in other provinces, organizing public awareness events in the fields of organic farming, ecology, geriatrics, and alternative tourism, establishing model businesses, and expanding the educational scholarships it provides.

Internationally, it will collaborate with expert scientists in its fields to ensure that developments in its areas of interest are disseminated in our country as well.