Aydın’s Famous Figs Get a New Life as “Fig Chips”

Aydın’s Famous Figs Get a New Life as “Fig Chips”

The fig harvest season has begun in Aydın, southwestern Türkiye, alongside the production of a new product known as “fig chips”. Thinly sliced and naturally dried, the product is becoming increasingly popular among consumers in Türkiye and abroad while providing local producers with an additional source of income.

Aydın figs are among the Turkish products with a geographical indication recognized by the European Union. Figs are cultivated across approximately 40,000 hectares in the province, with an average seasonal harvest of around 200,000 tons.

Approximately 70,000 tons of the harvest are dried and exported, while part of the crop is sold fresh. Another portion is processed into thin slices and dried to create what producers call “fig chips”.

How Are Fig Chips Made?

The production process begins with freshly harvested figs being manually cut into very thin slices. The slices are then arranged on special drying trays known locally as kerevet.

The trays are placed in shaded areas, such as covered terraces or home gardens, where the figs are protected from direct sunlight. The slices are regularly turned and checked during the drying process.

After approximately three to four days, the dried fig slices are ready to be packaged and sold.

Did you know? Fig chips can sell for approximately 2 to 2.5 times the price of conventional dried figs and 5 to 6 times the price of fresh figs.

This higher value makes processing an attractive way for local producers to increase the return from their harvest while creating additional employment opportunities.

From a Family Orchard to a Business

One of the local producers is Nuri Duran, a 30-year-old entrepreneur from the rural Kızıldere area of Nazilli. He produces fig chips from fresh fruit grown on his family’s plantations and also purchases figs from nearby farms known for their high-quality produce.

Duran says his connection with the fig trade began during childhood. His father once gave him three bags of dried figs to sell near mosques in Trabzon province. That early experience eventually developed into his own business.

About ten years ago, Duran established his own enterprise. Today, he processes and sells around 65 different products, including fig chips, dried figs, fig jam, wild thyme, sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, olives, olive oil, chestnuts and artichokes.

In the long term, Duran hopes to expand his business and begin exporting his products to international markets.

Drying Without Direct Sunlight

Duran uses a public area in the center of Kızıldere village for drying when the site is not being used for other purposes. The production process also provides employment for more than 20 women from the local area.

The women collect fresh figs early in the morning and deliver them to the drying area around midday. The fruit is then manually sliced and arranged on trays and nets, where it dries without direct exposure to sunlight.

The figs are regularly turned and inspected throughout the process. After three to four days, the slices are ready to be packaged.

Adding Value to Aydın’s Fig Harvest

Duran’s business processes between 150 and 200 tons of fresh figs per season. The figs are collected from the mountains surrounding Nazilli, where difficult terrain can make harvesting and transportation challenging.

“We are trying to increase the value of fresh figs by producing fig chips. The figs are delivered to our facility early in the morning, sliced very thinly and dried without direct exposure to sunlight. They dry in approximately three days, after which we package them in clean and hygienic conditions and sell them on the domestic market.”

For now, the company sells its products only within Türkiye. However, as the business develops, Duran plans to enter European and other international markets.

Key point: The growing fig-chip business demonstrates how traditional agricultural products can be processed into higher-value goods, creating additional income and employment opportunities for local communities.