Browse Data and Analysis

Since February 2022, Turkey has applied an export ban to more than a dozen agricultural products, including vegetable oils, meat, pulses, and some dairy products. On June 26th, the ban on butter exports was replaced with a monthly quota, and on July 7th, the ban on olive oil exports was removed.

Turkey has a young population of 85 million people. The country is in a Customs Union with the EU, has free trade agreements with EFTA and 22 other countries (excluding the U.S.), and is the 23rd largest economy in the world. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasts Turkey’s annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth at 3.2 percent between 2022 and 2026.

Food inflation in Turkey is the highest it has been in decades. Average food prices in May were up 92 percent from a year ago. One of the leading reasons behind higher food prices is the rising cost of on-farm inputs, such as fuel, fertilizer, and feed.

This report outlines specific requirements for food and agricultural products to be imported into Turkey and was prepared by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service’s Office of Agricultural Affairs in Ankara, Turkey for U.S. exporters of food and agricultural products.

This 2022 Food and Agriculture Import Regulations and Standards (FAIRS) Export Certificate Report for Turkey lists the major export certificates and other requirements expected by the Turkish government for food and agricultural products imports to Turkey.

Turkey’s citrus production for MY 2021/22 is forecasted up year-over-year in large part due to improved weather conditions compared to the previous year’s hot weather. While production is up, growers are seeing profit margins shrink as input costs, such as fuel and fertilizer, increase at a faster clip than farm gate prices.

This report provides an update on Turkey’s export ban on select agricultural products to stabilize local market conditions and keep food prices from running higher.

On April 27, 2022, the Turkish Government published new Biosafety Decision approvals for the import of genetically engineered (GE) soybean and corn. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MinAF) approved two new soybean events and two new corn events for feed and cancelled the approvals of three corn events and one soybean event.

In response to an increase in the seasonal sugar beet purchase price, farmers are expected to plant more beets in MY 2022/23. In parallel with expanded plantings, beet sugar production in MY 2022/23 is forecast up year-over-year to 3.1 million metric tons (MMT).

With improved weather conditions, wheat, barley, and rice production are forecast to increase in MY 2022/23. In contrast, corn production is forecast down as farmers switch to other more profitable crops. Overall grain production in MY 2022/23 will be influenced by rising input costs, which the Turkish government is trying to offset with higher support payments for fertilizer and diesel.

Post estimates cattle numbers in 2022 are expected to stagnate with 18 million head, including buffaloes, due to slow population growth rate, low raw milk prices, and an increasing number of cows being sent to slaughter because of high feed prices, despite government incentives.

Turkey’s cotton production in marketing year (MY) 2022/23 is forecast to increase to 925,000 metric tons (MT) (4.2 million bales) based on the assumption that farmers will plant more cotton in response to strong cotton prices. Growing demand for textiles and apparel is expected to push MY 2022/23 cotton consumption higher to 1.9 million MT (8.7 million bales).