Turkey's Malatya apricots get EU geographical brand

By Tuba Sahin

ANKARA (AA) - After a three-year wait, Turkey's famed home-grown apricot has earned a coveted EU geographical indication, a move set to bolster the fruit’s exports and marketing.

According to a Customs and Trade Ministry statement on Friday, apricots produced in the eastern province of Malatya became the second Turkish product to get EU designation after the Aegean fig.

Saying that such registration helps unique products be marketed and advertised, Customs and Trade Minister, Bulent Tufekci said: "With the registration, Malatya apricots will be sold in European markets with an official EU geographical indication logo. This will protect it from fake products."

Tufenkci said that last year Turkey exported $290.7 million in apricots, 90 percent of them from Malatya.