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The same product may have different quality characteristics in different regions due to factors such as geographical conditions, climate and traditional knowledge. It is very difficult to determine the characteristics that make products special and specific to the region. Especially in herbal products, soil and climate characteristics should be carefully examined. For example, Bursa Siyah İnciri (black fig) is larger, sweeter and darker in color than black figs grown in other regions. The factors that give Bursa Black Fig these characteristics are the soil structure of the region and the gentle wind blowing during the fig growing season.
Research conducted in many countries has shown that consumers are interested in local products and are willing to pay more. This situation often leads to unfair competition between products famous for their regions, as well as "area" wars between provinces, districts or regions in geographical indication applications. Applicants try to keep the added value to be created from the Geographical Indicated product within their own borders. For this reason, in many Geographical Indication registrations, the geographical area is usually shown with the borders drawn on the official map of a certain province or district. However, it is not possible to divide the soil characteristics and climate with map borders. Therefore, in this case, the problem of excluding some producers or including producers who do not produce the same product quality in the area will arise.
The aim of the study is to explain how to determine the area in the most objective way possible when preparing geographical indication specifications. For this purpose, Bursa Siyah İnciri (black fig), Bursa Şeftalisi (peach) and Hasanağa Enginarı (artichoke) which produced in Turkey and having geographical indications will be considered as case studies. In all three examples, physical, chemical and sensory analyses are integrated with data obtained from geographical information systems using ArcGIS software program. In this method, the relevant area can be determined not according to the borders on the map but according to soil and climate characteristics. By determining the area objectively and accurately, the quality of the product within the geographical indication borders will be protected and the exclusion of any producer will be prevented.
- Présentation
