With addition of Turkish dessert Antakya Künefesi, Turkiye has so far registered 9 food products to receive EU protection
A total of nine fruits, vegetables, desserts, and nuts from Turkiye have been given geographical indications by the EU, while the number of applications by the country has reached 45.
“Antakya Künefesi,” a cheese-filled dessert from southern Turkiye, became the latest Turkish addition to the EU’s list of protected geographical indications earlier this month. “Antakya Künefesi is one of the few desserts that contain cheese,” in Turkiye, the European Commission said in a statement on the crispy treat’s inclusion on May 13.
“Giresun Tombul Findigi,” premium hazelnuts from northern Turkiye’s Black Sea region, and “Gaziantep Baklavası,” a sweet pastry with nuts, are also listed, along with “Aydın İnciri,” or figs from the Aegean province of Aydin, and “Aydın Kestanesi,” chestnuts from the same area, according to data from the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (TurkPatent) compiled by Anadolu.
The other Turkish products on the list are “Malatya Kayısısı,” apricots from the eastern province of Malatya; “Milas Zeytinyağı,” olive oil from the Aegean town of Milas;”Bayramiç Beyazı,” nectarines from northwestern Bayramic area, “Taşköprü Sarımsağı,” garlic from the northwestern town of Taskopru.
Turkiye seeks to further grow this list, with applications pending for dozens of products, from dishes and rose oil to fruit and spices.
These are pastırma cured meat and sucuk fermented sausage from Afyonkarahisar province, as well as çiçek bamyası (okra) from Amasya, Antep fıstığı (pistachio), Araban sarımsağı (garlic), Ayaş domatesi (tomato), Aydın memecik zeytini (olive), Aydın memecik zeytinyağı (olive oil), Bingöl balı (honey), Bursa kestane şekeri (candied chestnut), Bursa siyah inciri (black fig), Bursa şeftalisi (peach), Çağlayancerit cevizi (walnut), Demirci hünnabı (jujube), Edremit Körfezi yeşil çizik zeytini (green sliced-open olive), Edremit zeytingyağı (olive oil), Erzurum su böreği pastry, Ezine peyniri (cheese), Gaziantep menengiç kahvesi (coffee), Gemlik zeytini (olive), Hatay kaytaz böreği pastry, Hopa hamsili ekmeği (bread), Hüyük çileği (strawberry), Isparta gülyağı (rose oil), İnegöl köftesi (meatball), Ipsala pirinci (rice), Kayseri mantısı (dumpling), Kayseri pastırması, Kayseri sucuğu, Kırkağaç kavunu (melon), Kilis zeytinyağı (olive oil), Manisa mesir macunu (mesir paste), Manisa sultani çekirdeksiz üzümü (seedless grape), Maraş çöreği pastry, Melli inciri (fig), Milas yağlı zeytini (olive), Osmaniye yer fıstığı (peanut), Rize çayı (tea), Safranbolu safranı (saffron), Silifke yoğurdu (yogurt), Suruç narı (pomegranate), Tonya tereyağı (butter), Urla sakız enginarı (artichoke), and Maraş tarhanası, a dried crushed mixture of fermented yogurt and wheat flour usually served as a soup.
The EU maintains a register for the names of agricultural products, foodstuffs, and drinks that enjoy protection across the bloc, featuring geographical indications, product qualities, and legal protection instruments.
TurkPatent head Cemil Baspinar said that for the first time in its history, the patent and trademark office made a collective application for the registration of 10 geography-specific products at once, using its authority to apply directly to the EU.
“We will rapidly increase the number of internationally registered geographical indications of our country,” he said.