The market for “Muş eski kaşarı” aged cheese, produced in Muş provınce in eastern Türkiye, where livestock farming is widespread, is expanding.
Due to efforts of the Muş Agriculture and Forestry Directorate and the Eastern Anatolia Development Agency, the cheese received a geographical indication registration certificate from the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office last year, leading to high demand from many cities.
With the certificate boosting its brand value, this aged cheese is made from the milk of animals grazed in the highlands during summer and is aged for six months in cold storage.
The cheese is then packaged and sent to many cities, primarily Istanbul, Izmir, Ankara and Mersin.
Mehmet Gün, director of the Muş Department of Agriculture and Forestry, told Andalou Agency (AA) that the province has advantages regarding plant and animal production.
Gün explained that there are 357,000 hectares of arable land in Muş. “Including pastures, meadows and highlands, this number exceeds 400,000 hectares. The quality and yield of products obtained in the city, where polyculture is significant, are at a good level. The high quality of grass and the diversity of flora in pastures, meadows and highlands make our products superior to those of other provinces,” he said.
Gün noted that six out of eight dairy processing plants in the city produce the cheese.
“Muş aged kasseri cheese is a high-value product made from 50% cow’s milk, 40% sheep’s milk and 10% goat’s milk. This year, 160 tons of the cheese were produced. We anticipate that it will provide over 55 million in added value to our province.”
“We have 235,000 cattle and 1,051,000 small livestock in our province. Since the milk quality is high, the Muş aged kashar cheese is also high-quality and in demand. We have well-established families who have been in this business for about 60 years. They currently provide good added value to our province. The cheeses are stored in cold storage for six months and then sent to major cities,” he added.
Hanefi Rençber, who has been producing Muş aged kasseri cheese with his brothers for about 60 years, said: “We transform the milk that comes to our facility from the high and fertile highlands into kasseri cheese under hygienic conditions. After processing the milk in the facility, we make the cheese. After aging it for six months, we send it to many cities, primarily Istanbul, Izmir, Ankara and Mersin.”
