Türkiye’s exports of cereals, pulses, oilseeds and related products reached $7.9 billion in the first eight months of the year. Pasta exports amounted to $668 million during the same period.
According to data released by the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM), Türkiye’s cereals, pulses, oilseeds and related products sector—which includes pasta and wheat flour as well as sunflower oil, chocolate, cocoa-based products, biscuits, wafers and confectionery—generated $7.9 billion in exports during the first eight months of the year.
Türkiye’s pasta industry, which has strong production and processing capacity, ranked among the prominent product groups with exports worth $668 million. Sunflower oil took first place in the sector’s exports at $866.3 million, rising by 9 percent in volume and 22.3 percent in value compared with the same period of the previous year. Exports of chocolate and cocoa-based products reached $677 million.
On a country basis, Iraq was the sector’s largest export market, with shipments worth $983.4 million and a 12.5 percent share of total exports. Iraq was followed by the United States with $596.9 million. The figures showed that Türkiye is strengthening its presence across different regions through value-added products while maintaining its influence in traditional markets.
“We are proactively managing risks in global markets”
Commenting on developments in global commodity markets and the logistics- and climate-related risks affecting the Black Sea region, Nihat Uysallı, Chairman of the TİM Cereals, Pulses, Oilseeds and Products Sector Board, said fluctuations in raw material and freight markets were pushing global food trade towards a new equilibrium.
Nihat Uysallı, Chairman of the TİM Cereals, Pulses, Oilseeds and Products Sector Board
Uysallı noted that logistics challenges along the Black Sea route, adverse weather conditions in Europe and new tax regulations introduced by various countries periodically affected pricing dynamics. He said Türkiye’s food industry was managing this process with a measured and proactive approach, supported by its extensive raw material supply network, flexible logistics infrastructure and strong processing capacity.
He emphasised that the sector’s ability to adapt rapidly to changing market conditions is one of the key pillars enabling Türkiye to maintain its position as a reliable supplier and preserve its international competitiveness in essential food products, particularly pasta and flour.
Production and stock management broaden the sector’s room for manoeuvre
Highlighting that Türkiye’s agricultural production potential and the coordination between the public and private sectors provide an important safeguard against global volatility, Uysallı said the country’s production strength across key product groups, from wheat to pulses, was supported by effective public stock management and measures promoting domestic market stability.
Uysallı stated that the removal of restrictions on fertiliser supplies, recently introduced incentive packages supporting domestic production and periodic adjustments to import duties on certain products had helped ease pressure on input costs. He also underlined the importance of implementing Inward Processing Regime procedures with sufficient flexibility to maintain the sector’s operational efficiency.
Uysallı added that keeping raw material supply channels continuously open is critical to the export performance of Türkiye’s flour and pasta industries, particularly those that process imported inputs for international markets. He said the sector remains committed to further strengthening Türkiye’s position in global food supply security and trade.