Forest Villagers’ New Growth Engine: Medicinal Plants Boost Income

In Samsun’s forest lands, villagers are turning medicinal plants into a new source of income, lifting both living standards and the regional economy.

Forest Products as a New Income Engine

■The Amasya Forest Regional Directorate’s ORKÖY project highlights revenues from laurel, truffle mushrooms, rabbit ear grass and other non‑timber forest products.

■In the first six months, 1,455 kg of laurel generated TL 2.91 million, while 118 hectares of truffle yielded 70 kg worth TL 3,465.

Product‑Level Breakdown and Insights

■Rabbit ear grass: 120 hectares, 5 tonnes harvested → TL 10,000 in sales.

■Echinacea: 23 hectares, 20 kg sold → TL 920.

■Thyme: 23 hectares, 213 kg sold → TL 8,712.

■Wild apple: 250 hectares, 301 kg sold → TL 602,000.

Policy Recommendations and Regional Impact

■Boosting productivity through targeted financing and training programmes is essential.

■Opening domestic and export channels, especially for high‑value items like truffle and laurel, could double income potential.

■Sustainable forest management will underpin long‑term job creation and expand the tax base.

As Hakan Çelik, I view these grass‑roots forest‑based activities as a strategic lever to close Turkey’s local fiscal gaps and reduce unemployment; yet, without efficiency gains, merely increasing inputs jeopardizes long‑term sustainability.