Price hits 10 thousand liras per kilo: Those over 50 have been choosing this product for years!

The price of pine resin, which is painstakingly collected from fir trees in the high-altitude forests of Artvin, has risen to 10 thousand liras per kilogram. Known for its traditional consumption habits, the product is also in demand from various provinces across Turkey.

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Price hits 10 thousand liras per kilo: Those over 50 have been choosing this product for years!

In Artvin, the price of pine resin, also known locally as "fir resin," ranges between 7 thousand 500 liras and 10 thousand liras per kilogram. The product, which is generally collected in August and September, attracts interest due to both its traditional usage and its limited availability.

Yellow and pink-toned pieces of pine resin in a plastic container.

Obtaining pine resin is not easy. Villagers and shepherds climb fir trees that reach 15-20 meters in high-altitude forest areas and collect the resin one by one with the help of a pocketknife. This laborious and risky process is cited as one of the main reasons for the product's high market price.

LABORIOUS TO COLLECT, DEMAND PERSISTS

Erkan Büyük, who has been running a delicatessen as a family business in Artvin for 27 years, said that pine resin is one of the traditional products passed down from the past to the present in the region. Stating that the product is collected from fir trees in high-altitude areas, Büyük said, "Collecting it is a laborious and difficult job. Since it involves climbing trees in forested areas, there is also risk involved. The fact that it requires a lot of effort is one of the reasons for its high price."

Büyük stated that pine resin is preferred especially by citizens over the age of 50, and that there are also people from the younger generation who show interest in the product. Explaining that some citizens in the region grind aged pine resin into a powder and consume it by mixing it with honey, Büyük noted that this usage is a habit inherited from older generations.

Pine resin mixed with honey on a patterned plate and a wooden stirrer.

Büyük mentioned that some citizens suffering from stomach ailments consume this mixture on an empty stomach in the morning or before going to bed at night, and say that their discomfort is alleviated. It is noted that such uses do not replace medical treatment and that the product is evaluated more within the scope of traditional consumption habits.

Erkan Büyük shows pieces of pine resin in his gloved hands.

Stating that the demand is not limited to Artvin, Büyük expressed that they send the product to many provinces in Turkey via cargo. It was noted that citizens consume the product either as a ready-made mixture or by purchasing the pine resin and honey separately and preparing their own mixture.

Herbal product seller Selahattin Arslan also emphasized that collecting pine resin requires expertise. Arslan said, "The pine resin business is a very difficult job. It is found on the trees. There are trees that reach heights of 15-20 meters. One climbs these trees and collects the resin one by one with the help of a pocketknife."