Striking statement from Canan Karatay: Idle olive trees should be transported and given to fire victim villagers

Striking statement from Canan Karatay “Idle olive trees should be transported and given to fire victim villagers”

MUGLA – Prof. Dr. Canan Karatay made striking statements, emphasizing that abandoned olive trees should be evaluated: “Olive trees could be transported during the Ottoman period, we can do the same,” she said.

Karatay, who supported the campaign to give idle olive trees on treasury lands in Turkey to the victimized villagers whose olive groves were burned in forest fires, stated that there was no harm in transporting olive trees. “Olive trees are immortal and transportable. During the Ottoman period, olive trees were transported from the Taurus Mountains to Spain. We can also deliver these trees to the villagers in need,” he said.

Karatay, who said that olives should be taken from low altitude areas to high altitude areas due to climate change, added, “Olive trees should be donated to citizens whose olive groves were burned. Olives grown in high altitudes, in the mountains, are the most valuable olives. Olives grown in plains may not be productive because rocks nourish the olives. Since there are no rocks in plains, the productivity of olives decreases.”

Drawing attention to the victimization of the villagers who were damaged in the fire in Urla, Karatay said that it would be very beneficial if the neglected olive trees on treasury lands were given to these villagers. “A lot of olive groves were burned in the fires. Let’s move the olive groves, but we need to give these olives to the people who will look after them. It is not right to use olives as ornamental trees, the olives should be given to the villagers,” he said, reiterating his call.