Kırklareli is known as a leading province in oak honey production in Turkey. Kırklareli is located at the foothills of Istranca Mountains and has a rich oak diversity, therefore it is an important source for oak honey production. Oak honey is one of the secretion honeys and the Hungarian oak, which has the highest secretion production capacity, is one of the seven oak species commonly found in the oak forests of Kırklareli. This region has a great importance especially due to the presence of the bee eco type known as Thracian Bee. As a result of the work carried out by the Kırklareli Beekeepers Association and the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, an isolated zone with a diameter of 30 km was established to protect the bee eco-type. In this way, the oak region and bee species have been protected and Kırklareli Oak Honey has turned into a unique production area. In this study, it was tried to determine the reasons of consumers who prefer Kırklareli Oak Honey with Geographical Indication. A questionnaire was sent to 403 participants between the ages of 18-70 living in Kırklareli Central District and other districts through web social media platforms. A 5-point Likert scale was used to measure the reasons for the participants' preference for oak honey and then reduced to 4 sub-factors by factor analysis. The results of the data analysis were evaluated and the following conclusions were reached about the consumption preferences of individuals consuming Geographically Signed Kırklareli Oak Honey. It was determined that the most important reason for the individuals participating in the research was that oak honey is rich in antioxidants and minerals and is healthy. In addition, it was seen that there was a significant and parallel relationship between 4 sub-factors such as preference, trust, labelling, health and price among those who consume Geographically Signed Kırklareli Oak Honey. Individuals prefer to buy healthy oak honey from reliable producers and sellers who sell certified products. They attach importance to labels showing the quality and content of the product and prefer products with affordable prices. It was also concluded that Geographical Indication elements positively affect the purchasing decisions of the product.
Primary Language | English |
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Subjects | Food Technology |
Journal Section | Food Health and Technology Innovations |
Authors | |
Publication Date | December 25, 2023 |
Published in Issue | Year 2023 Volume: 6 Issue: 13 |