Browse Data and Analysis

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).

Turkey’s food sector is diverse and growing, despite COVID-19 and recent economic difficulties. COVID-19 prompted a health and wellness trend among many middle-class consumers, who are looking for healthier processed and packaged food products.

Turkey’s production of chicken meat in 2022 is projected higher, in large part because of anticipated strong export demand from neighboring countries and China.

In the last couple weeks, Turkey has imposed temporary export bans on select agricultural products to stabilize local market conditions and keep prices from running higher.

Fearing rising prices and the perceived threat of sunflower oil shortages, customers have scrambled in recent days to stock up on cooking oils.

Turkey’s production of major oilseeds – sunflowerseeds, cottonseeds, and soybeans – in MY 2022/23 is projected to rebound from the previous year as strong prices are expected to spur increased plantings.

On January 27, 2022, the Turkish government published a new regulation delegating specific authority for the decision to implement export bans on a list of agricultural commodities during 2022 to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MinAF).

The Turkish government continues its efforts to rein in inflation, which was made worse in recent months by the steep depreciation of the Turkish Lira against the US dollar and drought-related grain production losses in MY 2021/22.