Namık Kemal PARLAK Editor It’s harvest time and all eyes in the grain market are on the fields nowadays. I want to share the recent developments and reports in the wheat harvest in Turkey with you. About one-fourth of the harvest has been completed. Unexpected weather conditions in May and June caused yield and quality losses. Therefore, regional yield losses increased wheat prices in Turkey. Ahmet Güldal, General Manager of the Turkish Grain Board (TMO), met with the flour, pasta and bulgur sector representatives on June 26 to discuss the situation. Sector representatives expressed their concerns about the rapid price increases due to the delayed wheat harvest. To reassure the concerned sector, TMO General Manager Ahmet Güldal said, “In recent days, especially in Southeastern Anatolia Region, artificial price increases have been observed due to the climatic reasons because of insufficient harvesting and low yield. There is no situation to worry about. In Thrace and the Central Anatolia, the harvest has just begun. Artificial price increases with the intensification of the harvest will return to normal.” However, grain market experts watching the latest developments think that wheat imports may become a current issue again.

The Turkish National Grain Council expects 19-19.5 million tons of wheat yield for 2018/19 season. “Turkey’s 7 million hectares of the wheat area didn’t get rain in May as expected. However, June was the wettest June for many years. The drought in May was particularly effective in the Central Anatolia. After the first week of May, a dry period of about 30-35 days was observed. We witnessed the driest May of the last 20 years. This situation affected especially wheat negatively and decreased the expected yield level in wheat. And excessive rains in June caused a small number of floods throughout the country. However, June rains had a positive impact on the yield in regions where grains are still green. Wheat yield is expected to be around 19-19.5 million tons due to the negative effects in May and June.” the Council stated in its last forecast report published on June 25.