Gastronomy Festival started in Alanya with avocado and mango harvest

Hosted by the Antalya Metropolitan Municipality, the 3rd Foodfest Antalya Gastronomy Festival, which is being held this year, started in the Alanya district with the harvest of avocados and mangoes. Antalya Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Muhittin Böcek stated that 20 out of 38 tropical fruits are being produced in Alanya, thanks to their adaptation.

The Foodfest Antalya Gastronomy Festival, which will be held by the Antalya Metropolitan Municipality from September 6 to 8, 2024, will showcase Antalya’s flavors to the world. As part of the Foodfest Gastronomy Festival, the harvest of the Alanya avocado, a geographically indicated product of Antalya, was carried out. The harvest took place in an avocado orchard located in Konaklı District of Alanya, with participation from Antalya Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Muhittin Böcek, Alanya Mayor Osman Tarık Özçelik, Metropolitan Municipality Secretary General Cansel Tuncer, Alanya Avocado Producers Union President Hilmi Sevilgen, and CHP Alanya District Chairman Bülent Kandemir.

**IMPORTANCE OF LOCAL DEVELOPMENT**

Mayor Muhittin Böcek and Osman Tarık Özçelik, who visited the avocado orchard, later made statements about the harvest. Mayor Böcek mentioned that in the festival’s first year, they harvested rabbit heart olives, in the second year, purple grapes, and this year, avocados. He added, "38 tropical fruits are grown in the fertile soils of Alanya. Production adaptation has been achieved for 20 of them. Tourism and agriculture are inseparable. Local development is one of our most important projects. We are always beside our producers. We contribute to the cultivation of different products according to the geographical location of each district."

**THANKS TO MAYOR MUHITTIN BÖCEK**

Alanya Mayor Osman Tarık Özçelik expressed his commitment to elevating tourism and agriculture in Alanya to the highest level, stating, "With Mayor Muhittin Böcek’s support, we will achieve this in a shorter time. This harvest will significantly contribute to the promotion of tropical fruits grown in Alanya. I thank Mayor Muhittin Böcek for his support."

**PRODUCERS WILL NOT FACE ISSUES IN THE FUTURE**

Hilmi Sevilgen, President of the Alanya Avocado Producers Union, noted that there are many varieties of avocado and that avocados grown in the Alanya region do not have market issues. Metropolitan Municipality Secretary General Cansel Tuncer highlighted that every year a different product harvest is conducted at the Gastronomy Festival, mentioning that Antalya has 18 geographically indicated products. Tuncer also stated that a harvest will be held in a different district each year as part of the festival.

**MAYORS HARVESTED AVOCADOS**

Following the speeches, Mayor Muhittin Böcek and Alanya Mayor Osman Tarık Özçelik collected avocados from the avocado trees. Mayor Böcek posed for photos with avocados for the press. At the avocado orchard, products grown from Alanya’s tropical fruits were introduced to journalists. After the avocado harvest, the mango harvest took place. Mayor Muhittin Böcek and Alanya Mayor Osman Tarık Özçelik entered the mango greenhouse and conducted the harvest.