Talking About the Present and Future of Figs: Notes from the 2026 Fig Workshop

From August 18–20, 2026, we attended the Fig Workshop and Variety Introduction Event hosted by the Fig Research Institute in Aydın.

Over three days, academics, researchers, public institutions, growers, exporters, and industry representatives came together to discuss the present and future of figs. Topics ranged from fig cultivation and climate change to genetic resources, plant health, food safety, post-harvest processes, marketing, exports, and new agricultural technologies.

At Gerga, we do not see figs simply as a product to be grown and sold. From saplings to fresh fruit, from dried figs to processed fig products, we approach figs as a whole. We believe that research, reliable knowledge, and continuous learning should be at the heart of everything we do.

For us, one of the most valuable aspects of the workshop was seeing scientific research and hands-on production experience come together in the same environment.

İncir Çalıştayı, 2026 - Erbeyli, Aydın

A Journey That Begins with the Sapling

A Journey That Begins with the Sapling

As part of the workshop, Gerga Co-Founder Muzaffer Aykın gave a presentation titled “The Current State and Future of the Fig Nursery Sector.”

The future of fig production begins long before an orchard is planted. Choosing the right variety, selecting saplings suited to the region, producing healthy and true-to-type plant material, and ensuring the sustainability of the nursery sector all have a direct impact on future orchard performance and product quality.

The presentation focused on the current structure of the fig nursery sector, the challenges it faces, and the key areas that need to be addressed in order to build a healthier and more sustainable production system for the future.

İncir Çalıştayı, 2026 - Erbeyli, Aydın

İncir Çalıştayı, 2026 - Erbeyli, Aydın

We Keep Learning

Another important part of the workshop was the discussion around different fig varieties and genetic resources. Protecting, identifying, and correctly evaluating the rich diversity of fig varieties found in Türkiye is important both for growers and for the future of the sector.

The program also covered genetic resources, genomic studies, breeding, climate change, plant health, food safety, post-harvest processes, quality, the dried fig supply chain, and exports. The inclusion of newer areas such as smart agriculture and agrivoltaic systems also highlighted the importance of looking at the fig sector not only through its past, but also through its future.

At Gerga, we do not define R&D simply as developing a new product. For us, it also means discovering new varieties, improving production methods, exploring different uses for figs, looking for solutions to cultivation challenges, and bringing scientific knowledge together with experience from the field.

Coming Together Around the Same Table

The future of figs is not only the responsibility of growers, researchers, or exporters. One of the most valuable aspects of the workshop was the opportunity to bring people from different parts of the sector together around the same table.

We had the chance to discuss the challenges faced in production, new research, market needs, and where the fig sector may be heading in the years ahead.

At Gerga, we will continue to produce, research, ask questions, and turn what we learn into action.

Because for us, it really is:

#allwedoisfigs