In recent years, interest in organic products has been increasing due to global warming and health reasons. Feeding olive trees with organic fertilizers instead of chemical fertilizers increases the quality of olive and olive oil products. In this way, it can be ensured that it will be demanded much more in both domestic and foreign markets with its taste and the high nutritional value it contains. The organic or "bio" olive production activities initiated by İzmir Bornova Agricultural Protection Institute in Kemalpaşa and its region are accelerating activities in this direction.
Organic farming activities in our country started in 1986 in accordance with the requests of importing companies for export in a different way from the developments in Europe. Production and exports, which were previously carried out in accordance with the legislation of the importing countries on this subject, continued in line with the Regulation of the European Community after 1991. Afterwards, in the annex no. 94/92 published on January 14, 1992 of the Regulation no. 2092/91; the issues to be complied with by the countries that will export organic products to the European Community were specified in detail and the countries were obliged to implement their own legislation and to apply to the European Community with a file containing various technical and administrative issues including this legislation.
In order to adapt to these developments in the European Community, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs started to prepare a Regulation with the cooperation of various institutions and organizations and the "Regulation on the Production of Plant and Animal Products by Organic Methods" was published in the Official Gazette No. 22145 on December 24, 1994 and entered into force.
The Regulation was issued to ensure the realization of ecological (organic) agriculture, which is an alternative production system, and is necessary for the products of producers engaged in organic agriculture in Türkiye to be evaluated as organic. Products produced for export or for domestic consumption are evaluated as organic in accordance with the rules specified in this regulation. The Regulation is not inadequate as of the year it was issued, but today, especially since the products are exported to Europe, it is necessary to comply with the Organic Agriculture Regulation of the European Community. In this regard, a study is being carried out with the Organic Agriculture Committee of our Ministry and the public and private organizations that are members of the National Steering Committee.
The rules to be followed during the production, processing, labeling, storage and marketing of organic products are detailed in this Regulation, which consists of 5 parts and 40 articles. The Regulation also contains an annex.
Afterwards, some articles of the Regulation were amended in order to eliminate the problems encountered in implementation, and the sanctions to be applied against the defects and mistakes to be made during organic farming activities were provided to be included in the regulation. The Amendment Text was published in the Official Gazette No. 22328 on June 29, 1995 and entered into force.
Organic Olive Oil Production Guide