Denmark sought to establish dairy industry in Erzurum and Kars in 1933

An archival document from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has revealed international interest in the economic potential of Turkey’s Erzurum and Kars regions during the early years of the Republic.

Discovered by Taner Özdemir, a board member of the Erzurum branch of the Turkish Language and Literature Association, the document dates back to December 4, 1933. It records a formal request from the Royal Danish Embassy to conduct on-site investigations regarding the establishment of a modern dairy industry, referred to in the text as ‘l’industrie laitire’.

The Danish request sought permission to send experts Alfred Thorvald Larsen and Peter Weigel to the region to assess the conditions for industrial dairy production. The Turkish government officially granted permission and issued instructions to local authorities to facilitate the study. The document highlights that the region's vast pastures and strong livestock culture were viewed as significant assets for industrial development by international observers.