28.04.2017 Ankara
At the Geographically Marked Products Summit held at the Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO), TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that geographical markers were claim ownership of local products.
Geographically Marked
Products Summit was held with the attendances of TOBB President M. Rifat
Hisarcıklıoğlu, Customs and Trade Minister Bülent Tüfenkci, Science and
Technology Minister Faruk Özlü, Ankara Governor Ercan Topaca and ATO President
Gürsel Baran as well as a large audience.
TOBB President
Hisarcıklıoğlu mentioned the importance of geographical markers during his
speech. Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Allah gave us a great entrepreneurial spirit. Another
thing we received is a great geography. I say this as your brother who visits
every city in Anatolia once a year. Every city is brimming with wealth. There
are more than 3,000 regional products, local brand values, from handicrafts to food
and drink. Now we have to give these brand values their due.
We have to take ownership
of the geographical marker issue as a country. We have noticed the importance
of this work late in the game. In the past we could not own our own goods. The
best example is the tulip. Where is the tulip’s homeland? Anatolia! We had tulip
gardens while Europe had no idea the flower even existed. Holland became the
tulip country with tulip bulbs imported from us. Just the tulip earns them a billion
Euros each year.”
- 3 products registered in EU
TOBB President
Hisarcıklıoğlu, underlining that this area has achieved great progress in the
last 10 years, said that they have acquired geographical markers for many
products in the country. Stating that politicians and public institutions are
giving priority to this issue, Hisarcıklıoğlu explained that they are providing
all their support to this issue as the TOBB community.
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated
that 35% of our 204 registered geographical products and 45% of 300 products
currently in registration process are made by our local Chamber of Commerce and
Industry. “Three of our products have been registered in the EU. Gaziantep
Baklava and Aydın Fig. I expect that the Malatya Peach will be registered quite
soon. Eight of our products are in the process of registration. Most of these
are carried out by our Chambers and Exchanges; for this reason, I heartily
congratulate them.”
Customs and Commerce Minister
Bülent Tüfenkci gave a speech at the “Geographically Marked Products Summit”
organized by the Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO) and pointed out that
geographically marked products are one of the most important economic resources
of countries.
Faruk Ozlu, Minister
of Science, Industry and Technology, stated that 204 products received
geographical markers and that applications for 302 products are in the review
stage. According to a survey, 2,500 products have the potential of registering for
geographical markers.
ATO President Gürsel
Baran said that he believes geographical markers will be a major contribution
to rural development and provide the economy with momentum.