The history of Arapgir Town, one of the crossing points of the Historical Silk Road, which starts from the borders of China in the east and spreads to the interior of Europe, is as old as the city of Malatya to which it is connected. Due to being an important transit point, the region where trade is intense has gained political stability with the establishment of the Turkish Union in Anatolia.

Although there are different opinions in the sources about where the name Arapgir derives from, the most accepted one comes from a siege story: Arapgir, which was under Byzantine rule at the beginning of the 9th century, was under Seljuk rule during the reign of Melik Shah. Melik Shah assigns a commander called Arap Mehmet and Cihan Shah to take this place. One of them, Cihan Shah, was martyred in what is now called Cihangir. Arab Mehmet captured the city after a long siege. This place is named Arapgir after this event.

 

Genuine Arapgir Purple Basil grows only in Arapgir.

Arapgir, which carries traces of many civilizations; In addition to its historical atmosphere, natural beauties and cultural accumulation, it makes a name for itself with a plant. Arapgir Purple Basil is a plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family. The analyzes revealed that this basil type, which is a region-specific genotype with its soft leaf structure and dark purple color, contains 130 volatile components and 170 different essential oil substances.

Like every Geographical Indication product, Arapgir Purple Basil bears traces of the climate, soil structure, water and even people of the region where it grows. This is exactly what makes it Genuine Arapgir Purple Reyhan. It has been observed that the seeds of Arapgir Purple Basil have lost their purple color and the aroma has decreased in cultivation practices in other regions.

In order to be protected under the Industrial Property Law No. 6769, it was registered on 08.12.2017 with the efforts of Arapgir Municipality and received the title of the first basil to receive the Geographical Indication Registration.

 

What does Reyhan mean?

 

When we think of basil, we think of an ornamental plant that smells good, like basil, but it has different properties even though it is from the same family as basil. The old name Reyhan is of Arabic origin. It comes from the root "Raveha" and means "(good) fragrance, fragrance". It always points to beauty, beauty and pleasantness. It is used in Divan poetry to describe the lover's beautiful hair and the quince feathers on his cheek. Reyhan, which is also mentioned as "Zaymüran" in Galib's Divan, is also a mystical symbol: It is mentioned many times in Mevlana's couplets to symbolize "divine secrets". It has also been used many times in the poems of the great folk poet Karacaoğlan.

"Arapgir Purple Basil", which has been the value of the region since history, has had a folkloric value as the subject of folk songs and plays. The folk song “İreyhan Evlek Evlek” sung specific to the Arapgir region is one of them.

 

How is Arapgir Purple Basil Grown?

Arapgir Purple Basil seeds are planted in the seedling growing places as of March. Adequate irrigation and maintenance operations should be carried out after planting and after each harvest. Basil grown in the region is produced with local seeds. Basil seeds can germinate in 7-10 days. Therefore, it is more correct to produce late summer or early spring. It is important that the spring planting is done after the last frosts have passed. In basil cultivation, it is done by hoeing between rows and by hand on the row. During the vegetation period, the parts that are considered as vegetables are harvested 3-4 times in good care conditions. The shoots and leaves that have reached the harvest maturity and are not carded are cut above the first leaf node and sent to the market in bundles for sale. The favorable climate and maintenance conditions allow the product to be harvested again after two or three weeks.

Drying in the shade is carried out by using nets developed for greenhouses or in the semi-shade. The Arapgir Purple Reyhan plant is never dried in the sun, and synthetic fertilizers (such as urea, nitrogen) are not used in its production. The strong aroma and volatile substances of the plant are provided by natural agriculture (use of animal fertilizers, not using synthetic pesticides) practices and drying the harvested leaves and stems in the shade with air flow.