İznik Cooperative

History

L.L. 699 İznik Olive Agriculture Sale Cooperative was established in İznik district, which lies on the east south of the Marmara Region and in a fertile basin at the eastern end of the Lake İznik, bounded by ranges of hills to the north and south. İznik borders Yenişehir district in the south, Orhangazi district in the west, Sakarya province in the east, and Kocaeli province in the north. The district dwells at an intersection point of 29^o E latitude and 40^o N longitude. The surface area of the district is 753 kilometers square, and the population of the district is 44,690 according to the general census of the year 2002. The district covers Elbeyli and Boyalıca municipalities and 37 villages.

The Foundation of İznik goes to BC 316 with the name “Antigonia”, several years later in BC 310 the city takes the name “Nicea”. İznik, carrying signs of Hellenistic, Rome, Byzantines, Seljuk, and Ottoman Empire, is like an open-air museum. Since the 16^th century, İznik has been a tile center. The greatest religious discussion of Byzantine history was resolved at the 7^th Council held in İznik in 787. Lake İznik adds an additional value to İznik.  

Established in 1970 by 11 olive producers, 699 İznik Olive Agriculture Sale Cooperative joined to Association of Marmara Olive Agriculture Sale Cooperatives (MARMARABİRLİK) by the decision of the Board of Directors numbered 4 and dated 01.08.1970.  

An alteration was made in the articles of association in 2001, re-determining the territory of activity of the association, the phrase” limited liability” was added to the title of the cooperative and then its name was altered as L.L. 699 İznik Olive Agriculture Sale Cooperative. The territory of the Cooperative shares borders with İznik, Osmaneli and Pamukova districts. Our cooperative covers 24 partner territory, which are as follows: Elbeyi and Boayalıca within boundaries of İznik, Orhaniye, Müşküle, Mahmudiye, Yörükler, Çakırca, İnikli, Ömerli, Tacir, Hisardere, Hocaköy, Çiçekli, Dereköy, Kaynarca, Karatekin, Çamdibi, Şerefiye, Drazali, Derbent, Aydınlar, Göllüce, Mustafalı villages and some villages within the boundaries of Osmaneli and Pamukova districts. The number of registered partners in our Cooperative is 6,016.

Our cooperative employs 32 personnel and makes production with 6 depots with a total capacity of 13,000 tons, containing 1,836 pickle and storage pools. The objective of the cooperative has been to establish cooperation among the producers, to provide their requirements, to help producers use their product in the best way and to improve their economic benefits. Our cooperative, with 25 thousand of production from 1,600,000 olive trees with the boundaries of Gemlik, produces 5 thousand tons of olive from 250,000 olive trees in the territory of our cooperative in Osmaneli and Pamukova districts.

L.L. 699 İznik Olive Agriculture Sale Cooperative is a leading organization providing service to over 15 thousand people with family members. The fundamental role of the cooperative has been to increase the value of olive production of associate producers while serving the best quality and healthy olives to the consumers’ taste. Olives of İznik are very preferable by consumers due to their first-class quality and flavor.

Founders of İznik Cooperative

1. Mustafa AKIN

2. Hasan KAYAHAN

3. Osman YAĞCIOĞLU

4. Hasan CANAVAR

5. Mehmet SAVAŞ

6. Mehmet ÖZBEK

7. Mahzar KARAGÖZ

8. Mustafa AKBAŞ

9. Raşit ÇALIK

10. Selim YAVUZ

11. Hayrettin TUFAN