Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

- Visit to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

The delegation first visited Ahmet Turan Gürkan, Director of Agricultural Marketing at the General Directorate of Agricultural Reform. The meeting was also attended by Neşe Altıntaş, Expert at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry; Ayşegül Altuğ, Geographical Indications Expert at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry; Cahit Ceren, Director of SME Policies at TOBB; and Aslı Parmak, Legal Expert at TOBB. The meeting covered agricultural policies, the export potential of geographically indicated products, the Germany YÖREX organization, agricultural technologies, and directing young people towards agriculture.

- Visit to the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office

Subsequently, during a meeting with Prof. Dr. Zeki Durak, President of the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office, Türkiye’s trademark and patent ecosystem, the registration processes for geographical indications, and promotional activities to be carried out within the scope of the Germany YÖREX Fair were evaluated.

- Visit to FAO Türkiye

The delegation’s third stop was with Dr. Ayşegül Selışık, Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Türkiye. The meeting focused on sustainable food systems, climate change adaptation, food security, and engaging young people in agriculture within the framework of FAO’s “Four Betters” approach.

- TEPAV Visit

At the final stop of the visits, the delegation met with Prof. Dr. Güven Sak, Founding Director of TEPAV. The meeting included assessments on the development of agricultural economics and policies, new models for rural development, the dissemination of agricultural technologies, and the strategic value of geographical indications at the international level.

As a result of the visits, it was emphasized that inter-institutional cooperation should be increased in order to strengthen Türkiye’s agricultural policies and geographical indication strategies at the international level, to spread new technologies in agriculture, and to attract young people to the sector. Furthermore, consensus was reached on the contributions that the German YÖREX organization would make in terms of the export capacity and brand value of Turkish producers.