THE GLOBAL WINDOW OF TURKISH FOOD AND AGRICULTURE The Global Window of Turkish Food and Agriculture Sector
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Press release…
From the city of thecoal to the the bounty of olives!
Soma has risen to prominence in olive production…
Manisa’s district of Soma, known for its coal, has transformed into a new hub for agriculture with 17 new olive oil factories. Established with the support of Agriculture and Rural Development Support Institute (TKDK), these facilities provide employment for hundreds of people, while Soma olives have attracted worldwide attention, winning over 30 international awards in the last five years. The number of olive trees has increased from 1.5 million to 2 million.
Organised under the slogan ‘Live Happily with Olives’ and spearheaded by Antikas Olive Oil, the 5th Antikas Olive Harvest Festival celebrated both the bounty of the olive and its connection to people. Held in the shade of a 1,630-year-old monumental olive tree, the festival featured folk dance performances, olive tastings, and colourful scenes of children participating in the harvest.
‘Live happily with olives’
Ertuğrul Özcan, founder of Antikas Olive Oil, noted that this year’s harvest was productive. Özcan said, “Every drop of oil produced with sweat on this land is the reward for hard work. As Antikas, we have won 20 gold medals in the last five years. In 2022, we were selected as one of the world’s top three oils at the Anatolian IOOC and were awarded the jury’s special prize, Best in Class.”
“This year, we won the Gran Prestigio Oro award at the Olivinus 2025 competition held in Argentina with our ‘Domat’ variety olive oil. Over the past five years, the more than 30 international awards we have won together with other olive oil brands in Soma have brought Soma’s name to the world stage. Our philosophy is simple but powerful: Live happily with olives. Don’t let them be missing from your table,” he added…
