“Maraş Tarhanası” is a fermented food that is a dried mixture of cooked wheat, yoghurt, thyme and salt. It differs from other tarhanas produced in Türkiye with its taste, shape, consumption types and local production method: The yoghurt is not added during cooking but only after the cooked and cracked wheat has cooled down, thus preserving the natural prebiotic additives. In this way, the food tastes sour, and conservation time gets extended. ‘Maraş Tarhanası’ can be eaten on its own or can be consumed by making soup, frying in oil, baking, soaking in broth.

The Head of the EU Delegation to Türkiye, Ambassador Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut, says, “This EU registration will play a pivotal role in protecting both producers and consumers of ‘Maraş Tarhanası’. While the producers will give confidence to the consumers with the logo, the consumers will know that they are getting a genuine product when they see the logo. PGI registration will also ensure the safeguarding of the ‘Maraş Tarhanası’ name and increase its recognition in Türkiye and beyond.”

DELEGATION OF THE EUROPEAN UNION TO TÜRKIYE

Unlike other Tarhanas, ‘Maraş Tarhanası’ includes yogurt in its preparation after cooking the cracked wheat and just before the drying process.

“Maraş Tarhanası” is laid on mats and dried in the sun in July and August. The higher-than-average sunshine and breeze in Kahramanmaraş during these months are essential for drying.

With the transfer of local knowledge and production experience from generation to generation, “Maraş Tarhanası” has become an indispensable food and cultural element for the people of Kahramanmaraş. So much so that, according to the rumour, one of the Ottoman Sultans, Yavuz Sultan Selim, whose mother was from Kahramanmaraş, had prepared “Maraş Tarhanası” for his army on his way to Egypt since it had high nutritional value.

Mustafa Narlı, the President of the Kahramanmaraş Commodity Exchange conducted the application for registration of the name as PGI process, expresses his happiness with the EU registration and reflects: "EU registration means that our product will be recognised in the world. God willing, all people in the world will eat this wonderful tarhana produced in Kahramanmaraş from now on."

Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB), says, “I congratulate Mustafa Narlı and all his colleagues for protecting our local values.”

a

Mustafa Narlı, the President of Kahramanmaraş Commodity Exchange

The producers in Kahramanmaraş are also happy with the development. One of them is Samet Çiftarslan: “There is a great demand for local food with geographical indications in the world. I believe that obtaining the EU's protected geographical indication will enhance the recognition of our products in Türkiye and Europe.”

Halit Yeninar, the other producer, says: “Maraş tarhana boasts a rich history spanning at least 500 years. It is enjoyed both on its own as a snack and utilised in the creation of soups. There is no preservative substance in it. It keeps you full when you eat while you are hungry and helps digestion when you eat it over a meal. I hope this hidden gem from Kahramanmaraş gains greater recognition both in Türkiye and on the global stage.

DELEGATION OF THE EUROPEAN UNION TO TÜRKIYE

The EU has previously awarded PGI and PDO (protected designation of origin) status to other product names from Türkiye: “Antep Baklavası / Gaziantep Baklavası”, “Aydın Kestanesi”, "Aydın İnciri", “Bayramiç Beyazı”, “Malatya Kayısısı”, “Milas Zeytinyağı”, “Taşköprü Sarımsağı”, “Giresun Tombul Fındığı”, “Antakya Künefesi”, “Suruç Narı”, “Çağlayancerit Cevizi”,  “Gemlik Zeytini”, “Edremit Zeytinyağı”, “Milas Yağlı Zeytini”, “Ayaş Domatesi”, and “Edremit Körfezi Yeşil Çizik Zeytini”.

The stories on Geographical Indications in Türkiye

Stories about EU-Türkiye cooperation