Türkiye aims to turn geographical indication–registered products into global brands

GAZIANTEP, Türkiye

Türkiye aims to increase the global visibility and economic value of its geographically indicated products as it ranks second worldwide in geographical indication registrations, according to the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (TURKPATENT).

TURKPATENT data shows that 1,794 products across Türkiye have received geographical indication certificates, a designation used to identify goods that possess qualities or reputations linked to their place of origin.

Gaziantep, Türkiye’s first city included in UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network for gastronomy, leads the country with 108 registered products.

At the other end of the scale, Kirikkale and Mus each have four registered products, while Tunceli and Bingol follow with five products each.

Applications for geographical indication status continue to be filed annually across Türkiye, helping consumers identify products, recognize their regional characteristics and make informed purchasing choices.

TURKPATENT President Muhammed Zeki Durak told Anadolu that Türkiye holds strong potential in geographically indicated products but must focus on branding to unlock their full value.

Noting the importance of international recognition, Durak said: “We are a very rich country in terms of agriculture. We have the opportunity to further develop this potential. Registration numbers show this richness, but what truly matters is increasing the recognition of these products.”

“We aim to expand our products’ contribution to the economy, provide greater added value to producers, and raise awareness of geographical indications,” he said.

-Registered products also impact tourism

Durak said geographically indicated products in Türkiye stand out for their distinctive qualities compared with those in many other countries.
He said such products also play a direct role in shaping tourism patterns.

“Because geographically indicated products carry characteristics unique to the regions where they are produced, they are best experienced in those regions. Tourists act on the question, ‘Where can I best taste or buy this product?’ This directly affects travel preferences,” Durak said.

He added that geographical indication registration serves as a marker of production quality and stressed the need to increase output and access global markets through exports.

As part of a joint project between TURKPATENT and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), producers of Edremit olive oil from Balikesir and Memecik olive oil from Aydin received training this year on industrial property rights, commercialization of geographically indicated products, e-commerce and social media use.

Commercialization training is planned next year for farmers producing Malatya apricots and Giresun tombul findigi, also known as Giresun tombul hazelnut.