Maraş Pepper Harvest Begins in Kahramanmaraş with a Target of 30 Thousand Tons of Production

The harvest season has officially started in the fields for Maraş pepper, a geographically indicated product of Kahramanmaraş. With production carried out on an area of approximately 12 thousand decares, a yield of 30 thousand tons is expected this year, while the price per kilogram in the field ranges between 150 and 200 liras.

Production and Area Information

The harvest season has officially begun for the geographically indicated Maraş pepper, grown on an area of approximately 12 thousand decares in Kahramanmaraş. The city ranks fourth overall in Turkey in pepper cultivation and first in red flake pepper production.

Expected Yield and Prices

With the contribution of over 500 farmers in the city, an approximate production of 30 thousand tons is expected this year. Due to the fact that the harvest has just begun, the price per kilogram in the field varies between 150 and 200 liras depending on its quality.

Drying and Processing Process

The peppers gathered from the fields are laid out on drying grounds to dry in the sun and are left for days. The dried products are then sent to factories to be transformed into varieties such as red flake pepper, powdered pepper, silky red flake pepper, and isot.

Marketing and Export

There are 65 companies operating in the city that process and offer the pepper for sale. The obtained products are exported to European, Middle Eastern, and Asian countries in addition to the domestic market.

Farmer and Worker Views

Producer Siyamettin Çolak stated that the peppers are of high quality this year and the spices will turn out very well, while workers described their harvest shift starting early in the morning and ending in the afternoon, expressing that the products are utilized for both domestic consumption and export purposes.