Gokova's Waterless Sesame Harvest Reaches Japan

October 2, 2026 · NTV Ekonomi

As the harvest season begins for golden sesame grown with entirely natural methods and waterless farming in Turkey's Gokova Bay, the product is seeing high demand in Japanese cuisine for sushi making.

The sesame harvest season has started in the fertile agricultural lands of the Akcapinar and Akyaka neighborhoods, located around Turkey's Gokova Bay in Mugla. The product, grown thanks to the region's unique climate conditions and the humidity carried by the prevailing winds, draws attention with its golden hue and high aroma. Gokova sesame, produced using the waterless farming method, is entirely hand-uprooted from the fields after ripening. Carefully stacked by producers, the crops are then naturally hand-threshed and winnowed after a 21-day drying period in the field, making them ready for consumption.

Stating that technology is not used at any stage of production, local producers are applying entirely traditional methods. Producer Nilgun Sarioglu, explaining the product's naturalness and the interest it receives, made the following remarks:

Adem Akyuz, a sesame producer with twenty years of experience, highlighted the labor shortage and production difficulties:

In addition to domestic demand, Gokova sesame receives significant interest, especially from Japan. The sesame, preferred for sushi making, is delivered to the Japanese market through traders. In 2025, Japan purchased the yellow sesame at $4.70 per kilogram from exporting firms (230 TL). While the export price for the new season has not yet been finalized, the product is expected to be priced at 180 TL wholesale and 200 TL per kilogram retail in the domestic market for the 2026 season.

Türkçe