Pickles produced in Ankara’s Çubuk district, known locally as “green gold,” are gaining recognition in domestic and international markets, with producers offering 45 varieties and targeting 90,000 tons in sales this year.
Located in Central Anatolia, Çubuk is known for its fertile agricultural lands and has become closely associated with its traditional pickles. Produced at the Çubuk Home-Style Pickle Production Facility, the pickles are made during the summer and reach consumers mainly during the fall and winter.
While cucumber remains the most popular variety, local producers make 45 types of pickles, including cabbage, eggplant, carrot, corn, mandarin and banana.
Çubuk Mayor Baki Demirbaş said the district’s pickles received geographical indication registration from the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office in 2008, while an application has also been submitted for registration in the European Union.
“Our Çubuk pickles became a brand over time as people came to appreciate the pickles made centuries ago by our elders, mothers and aunts,” Demirbaş said, highlighting the use of locally grown ingredients as a key factor behind their distinctive flavor.
He said Çubuk pickles are sold throughout Türkiye and exported to 15 countries, including the U.S., Russia, Saudi Arabia, Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland and the U.K.
“Our goal is for Çubuk pickles to have a place on tables in every country around the world, just as they do in Türkiye, and to become a global brand,” Demirbaş said.
Cucumbers account for around 80% of production, followed by cabbage, tomato and eggplant. According to Demirbaş, the “Toros-type” cucumbers grown in Çubuk, combined with local spring water and a traditional blend of salt, vinegar, bay leaves, dill and garlic, give the pickles their distinctive taste.
The district is also working to expand the product’s international reach through festivals and promotional activities, including visits by foreign delegations.
The International Çubuk Culture and Pickle Festival will take place from Sept. 3 to 6, bringing together local producers, visitors and participants from nine countries for the first time.
The festival will feature nearly 350 stalls showcasing Çubuk’s pickle varieties alongside regional foods and cultural performances from Türkiye’s seven regions. Activities will also include pickle-making competitions.
Çubuk producers have increased the number of pickle varieties from 38 to 45 this year, adding fish and rhubarb pickles in response to consumer demand.
Salih Kocalak, who works at the facility, said 90 types of produce are grown using heirloom seeds, with seasonal fruits and vegetables used in pickle production.
Producer Aysel Mercan said they use natural production methods and organize training activities to promote Çubuk pickles and traditional production techniques.
