Kilogram Price of Fir Resin Rises to 10 Thousand Lira in Artvin
Difficult harvest conditions and high risk factors have significantly increased the market value of fir resin gathered in Artvin.
The kilogram price of pine resin, which is gathered one by one using a pocketknife by climbing 15- to 20-meter-high fir trees in Artvin, has reached 10 thousand lira due to the demanding harvest process.
Demanding Harvest Process
The gathering of fir resin involves a very laborious process carried out in August and September. Gatherers climb trees reaching up to 20 meters and collect the product piece by piece using a pocketknife.
Traditional Use and Demand
Known locally as fir resin, the product is preferred, especially by citizens over the age of 50, in the belief that it is good for stomach ailments. The product is generally consumed by mixing it with honey.
Delicatessen operator Erkan Büyük states that the product is sent to many different provinces of Turkey and has a traditional usage habit.
Economic Value and Market
Herbalist Selahattin Arslan notes that the high risk and labor-intensive working conditions during the gathering process directly affect the price of the product. This situation causes the kilogram price to rise up to 10 thousand lira.