beta Bulletin of Economic Theory and Analysis 2548-0707 Mehmet SONGUR 10.25229/beta.1837475 Capital Market Agricultural Economics Sermaye Piyasaları Tarım Ekonomisi Storage of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in Licensed Warehouses and Their Trading Potential in the Turkish Mercantile Exchange (TMEX) Tıbbi ve Aromatik Bitkilerin Lisanslı Depolarda Depolanması ve Türkiye Ticaret Borsası'nda (TMEX) Ticaret Potansiyeli https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8467-0065 Berberoğlu Murat ARTVİN ÇORUH ÜNİVERSİTESİ, HOPA İKTİSADİ VE İDARİ BİLİMLER FAKÜLTESİ, İŞLETME BÖLÜMÜ https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0499-4546 Uzun Uğur ARTVİN ÇORUH ÜNİVERSİTESİ, HOPA İKTİSADİ VE İDARİ BİLİMLER FAKÜLTESİ, İŞLETME BÖLÜMÜ https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1636-9684 Şimşek Orhan ARTVİN ÇORUH ÜNİVERSİTESİ, HOPA İKTİSADİ VE İDARİ BİLİMLER FAKÜLTESİ, İKTİSAT BÖLÜMÜ https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5455-1009 Kızılkan Çiçek Advanced Online Publication 12 07 2025 03 12 2026 Copyright © 2016, Bulletin of Economic Theory and Analysis 2016 Bulletin of Economic Theory and Analysis

Medicinal and aromatic plants are those used as medicines to prevent diseases, maintain health, or treat illnesses. This study aims to evaluate the storability of medicinal and aromatic plants under appropriate conditions in Licensed Warehouses (LW) in Türkiye and to analyze their potential for trading on the Turkish Mercantile Exchange (TMEX). The increasing use of these plants in phytotherapy, cosmetics, and food industries has made their integration into sustainable agricultural systems strategically important for generating high added value in the economy. Employing a qualitative research design, the study analyzed the storability of these plants by considering their physical, chemical, and microbiological characteristics. Furthermore, the level of knowledge regarding current legal regulations and operational practices was examined through semi-structured interviews with 12 LW experts, based on an interview form developed after a literature review. The findings indicate that the current infrastructure, legislation, and storage standards are insufficient for these products. However, with proper drying, packaging, and infrastructural improvements, these products could be traded within the Electronic Warehouse Receipt (EWR) system on TMEX. The study provides guiding insights for policymakers by highlighting the potential to diversify the LW system and create new financing opportunities for producers.

Tıbbi ve aromatik bitkiler, hastalıkları önlemek, sağlığı korumak veya tedavi etmek için ilaç olarak kullanılan bitkilerdir. Bu çalışma, Türkiye'deki Lisanslı Depolarda (LW) uygun koşullar altında tıbbi ve aromatik bitkilerin depolanabilirliğini değerlendirmeyi ve Türkiye Ticaret Borsası'nda (TMEX) işlem görme potansiyellerini analiz etmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Bu bitkilerin fitoterapi, kozmetik ve gıda endüstrilerinde artan kullanımı, ekonomiye yüksek katma değer sağlamak için sürdürülebilir tarım sistemlerine entegrasyonunu stratejik olarak önemli hale getirmiştir. Nitel bir araştırma tasarımı kullanan çalışmada, bu bitkilerin fiziksel, kimyasal ve mikrobiyolojik özellikleri dikkate alınarak depolanabilirlikleri analiz edilmiştir. Ayrıca, literatür taraması sonrasında geliştirilen bir görüşme formuna dayanarak, 12 LW uzmanıyla yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler yoluyla mevcut yasal düzenlemeler ve operasyonel uygulamalar hakkındaki bilgi düzeyi incelenmiştir. Bulgular, mevcut altyapı, mevzuat ve depolama standartlarının bu ürünler için yetersiz olduğunu göstermektedir. Ancak, uygun kurutma, paketleme ve altyapı iyileştirmeleriyle bu ürünler, TMEX'teki Elektronik Depo Fişi (EWR) sistemi kapsamında işlem görebilir. Çalışma, LW sistemini çeşitlendirme ve üreticiler için yeni finansman fırsatları yaratma potansiyelini vurgulayarak politika yapıcılara yol gösterici bilgiler sunmaktadır.

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