The Regulation on Certification and Marketing of Vine Saplings and Propagation Material (“Regulation”) was published in the Official Gazette numbered 33237 dated 28 April 2026 and entered into force on the same date. The Regulation updates the procedures and principles regarding the production and marketing of vine saplings and propagation materials within the scope of the certification system by repealing the previous Regulation dated 3 July 2009.
The Regulation aims to ensure that vine saplings and propagation materials are produced and marketed in a true-to-type, high-quality, and healthy manner. Production activities carried out for scientific research, the protection of genetic diversity, and the producer’s own needs are excluded from the scope.
The Regulation determines the minimum quality and plant health standards for vine saplings and propagation materials. It introduces the requirement that saplings must possess certain physical characteristics and be free from harmful organisms. It also states that the Ministry will determine the procedures and principles regarding the control of harmful organisms.
The Regulation also includes detailed provisions regarding the establishment and operation of breeder units. Authorization, certification, control, and reporting processes are regulated separately for each breeder unit. The Regulation requires breeder plants to be labeled, recorded, and notified to the relevant authorities. In addition, it allows imported propagation materials to be used in breeder units and requires the submission of certified translations of documents prepared in foreign languages.
Furthermore, the Regulation structures the certification system in detail. In this context, it introduces a multi-level production and certification system through breeder units (first, second, and third level units). The Regulation also defines “pre-basic”, “basic”, “certified”, and “standard” propagation materials and determines the production and classification principles applicable to these categories. The Regulation further requires that the varieties used in production be registered in the official list and that production processes be recorded.
The Regulation also regulates declaration and control processes in detail and obliges producers to submit production declarations during certain periods. It further states that authorized inspectors will conduct parcel controls and issue Parcel Control Reports following such inspections. The Regulation also states that Parcel Control Reports will serve as the basis for certification procedures. Labels must include QR codes and follow color coding according to certification classes. In this respect, the Regulation prescribes the use of “white with a purple stripe” for pre-basic production, “white” for basic production, “blue” for certified production, and “yellow” for standard production. In addition, the Regulation prohibits the sale of unlabeled products and requires marketing activities to be carried out only by authorized producers and dealers.
The Regulation also updates supervision and objection mechanisms. Commissions established by the Ministry conduct inspections and issue Parcel Control Inspection Reports following inspections. Producers have the right to object to such reports within fifteen business days, and the General Directorate carries out the final evaluation.
Finally, the Regulation also includes transitional provisions. It states that applications will be submitted physically until information systems are established and that the arrangements regarding the QR code system to be included on labels must be completed within two years.
You can access the full text of the Regulation here. (only available in Turkish)
