Hakkari, with its fertile soils, is an area where different kinds of fruits and vegetables are grown. The mountain air, the water and the sun make the agricultural products from Hakkari special. While the people of the region sell part of their products fresh or dried, another part is preserved for the winter. Okan Aslan has been active in this trade for years. Money does not play a role here, instead it is a barter trade.

Aslan says this tradition is ancient and comes from his forefathers and mothers: "We inherited this business from our grandfather. We exchange agricultural products for kitchen and household goods and cleaning products. There is no money involved in these transactions. For the things we need, we give other products. Women take the things they need in exchange for dried fruit, for example. In autumn, women dry the fruits from their gardens. We go from village to village, from neighbourhood to neighbourhood and exchange these products. We take these products, which we collect mainly in Hakkari, Yüksekova, Gevaş, Şemdinli, Şirnak, Tatvan and Bitlis, to many places, including Izmir and Bursa."

The women of Hakkari have been doing this work for years. In the yards and gardens of almost all the houses, the fruits and vegetables are spread out to dry. This is important work for women, who contribute to production with what they take from nature. The fruits, beyond their own needs, are prepared and spread out on cloth and boards. They are left in the sun for days. After drying, they are packed in sacks. The collected products are then exchanged for other household needs.