Turkey mobilises nearly 4MMT of grain stocks to curb inflation, support pasta and feed sectors

TURKEY – Türkiye’s state grain board, Toprak Mahsulleri Ofisi (TMO), has announced the release of 3.9 million metric tons of corn, barley, milling wheat, and durum wheat from its strategic stocks for sale in February, 2026.

The move is designed to stabilise domestic prices, supply raw materials to bulgur, pasta and flour processors and ensure affordable animal feed production in the face of ongoing economic pressures.

TMO has kept its offered grain prices stable without upward revision, explicitly to support domestic processors and maintain Türkiye’s export competitiveness, particularly in pasta, a sector where high input costs could erode market share against peers such as Egypt, Italy, Spain and Greece.

Analysis of the release shows that durum wheat accounts for approximately 1.041 million tons of the total allocation.

Durum wheat holds strategic importance for Türkiye’s food processing export profile. In prior seasons, sizeable exports occurred, with domestic policy shifts positioning the country as a net durum exporter and a key pasta supplier.

Most of the durum available derives from the 2023 and 2024 harvests, with smaller portions from the 2025 crop and limited residual 2022 stocks. In select cases, TMO is providing extended payment terms up to three instalments to eligible producers and mills.

At current exchange rates, pricing at TMO silos averages around US$ 320 per tonne. While these offer a modest discount of US$ 15–20 per tonne compared with domestic open-market levels, they remain above prevailing international market benchmarks, potentially constraining competitive exports if sustained.

Türkiye’s grain markets have been under pressure from reduced domestic production.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported a 15 per cent decline in wheat and barley output for the 2025-26 season, with total wheat production forecast at around 16.3 million tonnes, including approximately 3.5 million tonnes of durum wheat.

Reduced crops have increased reliance on imports and stock releases to bridge supply gaps.

Domestically, millers and exporters have called for policy measures to maintain supply security. Earlier industry commentary noted a slump in flour exports linked to the domestic wheat import ban in 2024, which led to diminished competitiveness.

While that ban was lifted and duty-free import pathways restored under the Domestic Processing Regime to support flour millers exporting finished products, the sector’s recovery from earlier market disruptions remains uneven.

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