Turkey will increase imports of wheat and barley

In the 2025/26 season, wheat and barley production in Turkey, which is largely carried out without irrigation, is projected to decline compared to the previous year due to unusually dry weather conditions, according to the USDA.

Against these dry conditions, corn production is projected to increase, as a large portion of the crop has access to irrigation and due to an expansion of corn acreage, particularly in the southeast of the country.

Due to the projected decline in wheat and barley production, imports of these crops are projected to increase compared to last year. Regarding exports, Turkish flour exporters continue to struggle to regain market share lost last year.

Wheat imports from June to August of the current season started very slowly and fell by 35% compared to the same period last year, reaching approximately 600,000 tons. The leading suppliers during this three-month period were Russia (562,000 tons) and Ukraine (11,000 tons). Imports are forecast to accelerate in the second half of the season as Turkish wheat stocks begin to dwindle.

To offset the decline in domestic barley production and meet domestic demand, barley imports are projected to soar to 1.7 million tons in the 2025/26 season. In the first three months of the season (June-August), barley imports nearly tripled to 147,000 tons. The largest suppliers were Bulgaria (92,000 tons) and Russia (45,000 tons). Furthermore, in July and August, the Turkish Grain Commission announced tenders for barley imports and purchased approximately 500,000 tons. The first deliveries are expected to begin in September and will continue in the coming months.

The corn import forecast for 2025/26 has been reduced to 3.3 million tonnes, approximately 2.4 million tonnes less than the previous year, due to a projected increase in domestic corn production. Corn imports for the 2024/25 season are estimated at approximately 5.7 million tonnes. Ukraine was the largest supplier, delivering over 4.0 million tonnes of corn, followed by Russia (571,000 tonnes) and Romania (400,000 tonnes).

Tags: Turkey, barley, wheat