Caykur (Cay Isletmeleri Genel Mudurlugu) is the leading state-owned tea enterprise in Turkey, responsible for tea cultivation, production, marketing, and research, with a dominant share of the domestic market.
Caykur, legally known as Cay Isletmeleri Genel Mudurlugu, is a state-owned economic enterprise in Turkey that operates as a major entity in the nation's tea industry. Headquartered in Rize, it manages a extensive infrastructure that includes numerous tea processing factories, regional marketing directorates, and the Ataturk Tea and Garden Cultures Research Institute. The organization is responsible for developing tea agriculture in line with national policies, purchasing a significant portion of tea produced in the region, and producing, marketing, importing, and exporting various tea products. It operates with a mandate to balance economic efficiency and profitability while supporting Turkey's agricultural sector.
As the leader in the Turkish tea market, Caykur plays a central role for tea producers and consumers across the country. It provides essential support to tea farmers, including the purchasing of raw tea leaves, and maintains a substantial share of the domestic dry tea market. The organization is subject to regulation by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and has been part of the Turkey Wealth Fund since 2017. By overseeing the end-to-end process from agricultural development to industrial processing and commercial distribution, Caykur serves as a cornerstone of the regional economy in Eastern Anatolia and remains a critical provider of tea products within Turkey.