Approximately 19,000 metric tons of Kars kashar and gruyere cheeses are produced annually in Kars, one of Türkiye's leading dairy-producing regions known for its vast pastures, rich vegetation and strong livestock industry.
Endemic plants growing across the province's extensive meadows and highland pastures give the milk and dairy products their distinctive flavor.
Kars has been producing kashar cheese, a semi-hard, pale yellow Turkish cheese made from sheep milk, since the early years of the Republic of Türkiye.
Today, these two geographically indicated cheeses continue to be produced in modern facilities while preserving traditional production methods.
From spring onward, livestock graze on the region's botanically rich highland pastures. The province is home to 66 dairy processing facilities that manufacture milk and dairy products.
Provincial teams from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry continue to inspect production facilities to enhance the brand value of Kars kashar and gruyere while also overseeing the application process for EU geographical indication (GI) status for Kars kashar.
Enver Aydin, provincial director of agriculture and forestry, told Anadolu that approximately 44% of Kars' land area consists of meadows and highland pastures.
He said these areas are home to more than 1,600 species of wild plants, representing around 16% of Türkiye's plant flora. Of these, 70 to 100 species are endemic, while 12 are endemic species found only in Kars.
Aydin noted that Kars is a major livestock-producing province, with approximately 600,000 cattle and more than 1 million sheep and goats.
"The aromatic characteristics of these endemic plants, which contain proteins, fats and essential oils, are transferred to the milk produced by animals grazing naturally on our pastures," Aydın said.
"That milk is then used to produce kashar and gruyere cheeses, making them among Türkiye's most valuable and distinctive dairy products. We produce milk and dairy products at 66 facilities approved by the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry. These facilities manufacture an average of 18,600 to 19,000 metric tons of kaşar and gruyere cheese each year."
Aydin said Kars is one of Türkiye's leading production centers for kashar and gruyere, with its cheeses reaching nearly every region of the country.
"At the same time, we are carrying out various initiatives to ensure Kars kaşar and gruyere receive the brand recognition and market value they deserve," he said.
"Our teams conduct regular inspections of production facilities, checking hygiene standards, quality criteria and compliance with geographical indication requirements."
Aydın said Kars kashar received a Turkish geographical indication registration in 2015, helping preserve the cheese's traditional production methods and distinctive characteristics for future generations.
He added that Kars gruyere was also granted a Turkish geographical indication registration in 2024.
With officials aiming to increase its international recognition, the province applied for EU geographical indication status for Kars kashar, signing the protocol last month.
If approved, it will become the first-ever local product originating from Kars to receive direct EU Geographical Indication status.
