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Buying an olive grove: what you need to know
In short: Olive groves are protected by Law No. 3573: the olive-growing area cannot be reduced, uprooting trees requires a permit, and no polluting facility may be built within 3 km of it and no sheep or goat fold within 1 km. An olive grove is perennial (planted) agricultural land; it cannot be subdivided below 0.5 hectares, and a vineyard house (bağ evi) needs at least 1 hectare.
Protection of olive-growing areas
- Olive-growing areas cannot be reduced; uprooting olive trees requires Ministry approval.
- No facility that produces chemical waste, dust or smoke may be set up or operated inside an olive-growing area or within 3 km of it (olive oil mills excepted).
- Animals may not be let into olive groves; no sheep or goat fold may be built within 1 km of an olive-growing area (settlement areas excepted).
- If an olive grove is included in a zoning plan, building cannot exceed 10% of the area.
Subdivision and building
- An olive grove is perennial (planted) agricultural land: the minimum sizes for subdivision are 0.5 hectares (5,000 m²) and the district's economically viable size for perennial land. More: Can farmland be subdivided?
- A vineyard house needs at least 1 hectare of perennial land; the house can have a footprint of at most 30 m² and 2 storeys.
- If the title deed describes the land as something like "field with 25 olive trees" (içinde 25 adet zeytin ağacı bulunan tarla), the land is registered as a field; whether it counts as perennial land is decided by the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry on the basis of tree density.
Climate: olives do not grow everywhere
Olive trees cannot withstand harsh winters; the risk is high where the average night temperature in the coldest month falls below about −2.5 °C. They need a few months below 10 °C in winter to form flower buds, and their roots suffer in heavy soils that hold water. The ParselX "What can be grown here?" card shows the suitability class for olives based on the parcel's climate and soil, and the reasons.
Before you buy
- Check the annotations and declarations on the title deed record; for a jointly owned olive grove, consult a lawyer about pre-emption and consent.
- See the age, variety and condition of the trees on site; ask whether irrigation is available.
- Check the parcel's use in the environmental plan and whether any facility is planned nearby.
Related guides: What can be built on farmland? · What can be grown on the land?
This guide is for information only. Agricultural legislation changes often; some of the sizes set in the annex to the regulation can also be updated by the Ministry without publication in the Official Gazette. Before you apply, consult the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry; the final decision rests with the relevant authority.
Last updated: 29 September 2026