A lavender garden established in western Türkiye in 2018 within the scope of a project to cultivate medical aromatic plants has flourished in more ways than one. The project was established on an area of around 13 acres in Ulubey, Uşak with 55,000 saplings donated by local authorities. Later, 600,000 seedlings were provided for farmers who were interested in cultivating the plant and the project grew from there. With these seedlings, the lavender production area increased over 10-fold and the number of gardens rose to 46. In addition, an essential oil processing facility was established in the district with an investment of TL 2.22 million to ensure the sustainability of the project. Uşak Provincial Director of Agriculture and Forestry Nihat Ağan told Anadolu Agency (AA) that around 300 tons of lavender is harvested from the area, which produces 6 tons of oil. Lavender, which needs very little water, has become widespread in the region prone to drought and has the added bonus of not requiring fertilizer or pesticides. Ağan said authorities aim to continue to support farmers with projects of this kind, promising the backing of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the local governor's office. The lavender not only generates sales but also tourism as people flock to admire the idyllic rows of purple, take photographs and even propose.
