A Grand Gathering in Tarsus for Sarı Ulak, One of Türkiye’s Endangered and Rare Olive Varieties in Harvest Time

Climate-Resilient and Nature-Friendly Olive Growing Training Meets the 2nd International Tarsus Sarı Ulak Olive Festival at October 3–5.

Within the scope of the “Anatolivar – Strengthening Olive Producing Communities in Anatolia” project, implemented by the Proje Evi Cooperative with the financial support of the European Union and in partnership with the National Olive and Olive Oil Council (UZZK) and Slow Food, a training session was held on October 3 at the Tarsus Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The event brought together all stakeholders of the olive sector, CSOs, public institutions and agricultural high school students to explore how nature-friendly olive growing can be possible in the age of the climate crisis, using the Sarı Ulak variety as a focal point. Experts and academics exchanged extensive knowledge and experiences. The training took place on the opening day of the 2nd International Tarsus Sarı Ulak Olive Festival, organized by the Tarsus Municipality between October 3–5. Another key part of the Festival was the Slow Food Tarsus Earth Market, which connected environmentally friendly producers with conscious consumers throughout the three days.

Climate-Resilient Olive Growing at the Heart of the Program

Producers, civil society representatives, public officials, and students showed great interest in the training, which marked an important step toward building a shared vision for the future of the olive sector. The first session, led by the Proje Evi Cooperative, introduced the aims of the Anatolivar project and a research about the current state of the olive sector within the framework of the climate crisis and the European Green Deal. The importance of protecting biodiversity to achieve climate-resilient olive cultivation was also emphasized. A representative from the Ministry of Trade gave a presentation on the European Green Deal and its impact on the olive sector in Turkey.

In the second part of the program, participants discussed the importance of the preservation of local varieties in the era of the climate crisis, sustainable and organic farming practices, soil conservation, zero waste, and the circular economy. Experts and academics delivered rich presentations, and participants exchanged views. A Slow Food representative from Italy shared a real-life example illustrating the vital role of producers and local communities in protecting biodiversity and promoting agroecological olive growing.

Workshops, Tastings, and Cultural Encounters

Alongside the Climate-Resilient and Nature-Friendly Olive Growing training, the Festival offered a variety of public events – talks on the history of olive cultivation in the region, workshops on regenerative agriculture, table olive making, and soap production, as well as field visits to the olive groves in Kösebalcı village, home to a high density of Sarı Ulak trees.

At the opening ceremony, Tarsus Mayor Ali Boltaç emphasized that Sarı Ulak is more than an agricultural product – it is a symbol of cultural identity and memory for Tarsus: “The Sarı Ulak olive is far more than a product that enriches our tables; it embodies the memory of these lands, the hard work of our producers, and one of the strongest symbols of Tarsus’s cultural identity. Olive is not only Tarsus’s heritage but part of humanity’s shared legacy. It is mentioned as a source of abundance in the Qur’an, as a symbol of peace and hope in the Torah, and as a sacred presence in the Bible. In this sense, Sarı Ulak represents peace, prosperity, and light in humanity’s collective memory. This festival exists to make visible the labour of our producers, to honour the patience of our farmers, the fertility of our soil, and the sacredness of human effort. Every Sarı Ulak olive is a symbol of hope growing on these lands. Each step we take together will make Tarsus’s future stronger, more fertile, and more visible.”

The Slow Food Tarsus Earth Market Celebrates the “Sarı Ulak” Olive

For this edition, the Slow Food Tarsus Earth Market took on an olive-centered theme! Open throughout the three-day festival, the market gave special importance to supporting local producers and protecting biodiversity. Products such as Sarı Ulak olives and olive oil were offered alongside other good, clean, and fair foods produced through ecological and chemical-free methods. Visitors could taste unique local specialties from Tarsus, including the famous olive-stuffed flatbread known as zeytinli sıkma – made with Sarı Ulak olives and local heritage “yellow wheat.” Olive oil–based ice creams and desserts were also among the delicacies available. As a cherished local tradition, visitors could even purchase freshly harvested Sarı Ulak to make table olives at home.

Mustafa Kalın, one of the producers selling at the Slow Food Earth Market, expressed his connection with the Sarı Ulak olive as follows: “Sarı Ulak is especially precious to us because we are originally from Büyükkösebalcı village. We want to turn this value into an opportunity. What started as offering these olives to friends and family has now become our own brand. We strive to produce with minimal use of pesticides. We aim to deliver naturally hand-cracked olives to consumers without using chemicals. In short, we have devoted our hearts to the Sarı Ulak olive, and we are ready to do everything we can for this purpose.”

Towards a Slow Food Presidia for Sarı Ulak

Yasmina Lokmanoğlu, Slow Food Türkiye’s National Coordinator, highlighted the success of the event: “The Anatolivar and Slow Food activities held between October 3–5 in collaboration with the Tarsus Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Tarsus Commodity Exchange were a great success. The most significant factor behind this success was direct engagement with farmers — listening to their experiences and ensuring their active participation in the process. This approach fostered motivation and trust among producers. Moreover, this event laid essential groundwork for nominating the Sarı Ulak olive variety as a candidate for the Slow Food Presidia program, marking an important step toward its international recognition.”

Chef Gökhan Çilak, Coordinator of the Slow Food Cooks’ Alliance Türkiye, who conducted a chef’s workshop at the Festival alongside Slow Beans Türkiye Coordinator Chef Tülay Saygılı, reflected on his experience in Tarsus: “For me, the 2nd International Tarsus Sarı Ulak Olive Festival was a deeply meaningful experience – a chance to reconnect with the voice of the land and strengthen the bond between production and the kitchen. Once again, I felt that the olive is not just a food but a vessel of culture and a way of life. The workshops, field trips, and exchanges reminded us how crucial it is to protect local varieties, to respect producers’ labour, and to cultivate harmony with nature. This carefully curated gathering inspired me, as both a chef and a Slow Food member, about the future of sustainable gastronomy.”

From Ark of Taste to Anatolivar

Finally, Alen Mevlat, Coordinator of the Anatolivar Project and Slow Food Türkiye’s Thematic Area Leader, summarized the three-day event: “Since the first Slow Olive initiative in 2016, we have been working to safeguard Türkiye’s endangered and rare olive varieties. One of them is the Sarı Ulak olive, grown particularly in Tarsus and its surroundings in Mersin province. Listed in the Ark of Taste catalog (https://www.fondazioneslowfood.com/en/ark-of-taste-slow-food/sari-ulak-olive/), Sarı Ulak has become a sought-after and protected product thanks to the awareness efforts of the Tarsus Municipality, Tarsus Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Tarsus Commodity Exchange, and the producers of the Slow Food Tarsus Earth Market.

Within the Anatolivar Project, which compiles an inventory of Türkiye’s rare olive varieties, Sarı Ulak holds a key position thanks to its successful preservation process. By organizing training programs during this three-day festival on climate-resilient and nature-positive olive growing, our Anatolivar team contributed to this ongoing protection effort. We believe that similar gatherings in other regions — bringing together all stakeholders of the olive sector — will play a vital role in safeguarding other local olive varieties.”

*Presidia: An international conservation and support initiative run by Slow Food, aimed at protecting local food products, production methods and communities at risk of extinction. 

This document was funded by the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of Proje Evi Cooperative and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union