Chefs in Turkey's southern tourism capital Antalya are encouraging the use and promotion of local products in hotels across Turkey as part of a new campaign called "869 – If It's Local, We'll Eat It."
Organized by the Cooks Federation of Turkey (TAFED), Antalya Gastronomy and Educators Association (AGEB) and Antalya Expo Centre (ANFAŞ), the campaign has chefs embroidering the Turkey flag on their aprons following the call by Turkish Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan for a "Made in Turkey" stamp on local products.
In a meeting at the Antalya Expo Center, Chairman of the Executive Board Mustafa Erol said that the initiative to provide and promote quality local products in all hotels will begin immediately.
Products that fall under the new initiative include fresh produce, red meat and poultry, baked goods, packaged goods and industrial kitchen equipment.
Hüseyin Özdamar, general manager of ANFAŞ, said that they are working toward a "new vision" after structural changes were made to the company.
The project's manufacturing and investment goals will be introduced at the ANFAŞ expo on Jan. 16 -19, 2019. Competitions, workshops and various shows are planned for the event.
According to the regulation introduced by the trade ministry on Tuesday, all goods produced in Turkey are required to carry a special label showing that they are made in Turkey.
The move was aimed at supporting economic stability through promoting the sale of Turkish products, the ministry said in a statement. The date of sales and unit prices are required on the price tags in addition to the dates of any price change.
The ministry's goal is to regulate the procedures and principles related to the sales along with the shape, content and use of the labels, tariffs and price lists of the goods and services offered for sale as retail.
The latest regulation comes within the scope of measures to protect the economic interests of consumers and provide them with accurate and complete information.
