The festival organized by the Siirt Governorate under the auspices of the Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism saw participants walking with a marching band from the 15th of July Democracy Square to the front of the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry on Gures Street.
During the festival, a pistachio-themed informative and promotional video was screened at the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry Conference Hall.
Governor Kemal Kizilkaya stated at the event that the festival’s start was marked by the procession march.
Governor Kizilkaya emphasized that Siirt has been a city of civilization where different languages and cultures have lived together in peace, brotherhood, and tolerance for thousands of years. He noted that the festival, which aims to promote and increase awareness of Siirt pistachios, contributes significantly to the strengthening of national unity and solidarity.
Kizilkaya said, “Agriculture, animal husbandry, and tourism are the driving forces of our province’s development, and this festival is built on these foundational elements. With the support of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, we are implementing multidimensional projects to further develop products such as Siirt pistachios, Pervari honey, and Zivzik pomegranates. Siirt is the leading producer of Siirt pistachios in Turkey, with 32,844 tons produced on 400,790 acres of land, while we rank third in the production of Gaziantep pistachios. Our pistachio orchards, which amounted to 45,000 acres in 2002, now exceed 400,000 acres, with approximately 11 million pistachio trees planted. With irrigation projects and modern cultivation techniques, we aim to increase Siirt pistachio yield to 50,000 tons in the coming years. Siirt pistachios directly or indirectly provide the livelihood for nearly 10,000 families engaged in agricultural production. Considering that 30% of existing orchards are not yet productive and a significant portion of the productive ones fail to achieve full yield, it is evident that tree yield and production quantity will increase in the coming years.”
Kizilkaya reiterated that their goal is to move Siirt forward in a climate of peace and security, raising living standards.
Provincial Director of Agriculture and Forestry Ergun Demirhan thanked those who contributed to the organization of the festival.
During the program, a presentation on pistachios was delivered by Dr. Nevzat Aslan, Director of the Vineyard Research and Application Center at Siirt University.
The festival, which includes various activities, will conclude tomorrow.
