Türkiye has opened a 3 million-tonne tariff quota for corn imports with a reduced customs duty of 5% for the period from April 20 to July 31, 2026. The move comes against the backdrop of weaker production expectations, firm feed demand and rising import needs, suggesting Ankara is seeking to ease raw material pressure ahead of the new season.
Türkiye has introduced a temporary tariff quota for corn imports, allowing up to 3 million tonnes of imports at a reduced 5% customs duty between April 20 and July 31, 2026. According to the official statement, imports carried out within the quota will benefit from the 5% duty rate, while volumes imported outside the quota will remain subject to the tariff framework under Türkiye’s regular import regime. The Ministry of Trade is expected to publish a separate communiqué setting out the allocation method and application procedures.
The measure is notable both for its size and its timing. A 3 million-tonne low-duty import window opened just before the summer period points to a clear policy effort to reinforce supply availability for corn-consuming industries, particularly feed manufacturers and industrial processors.

TIGHTER SUPPLY, HIGHER IMPORT NEED
The decision also aligns with a tightening domestic balance sheet. In its latest Grain and Feed Annual for Türkiye, USDA projected the country’s corn production at 7.0 million tonnes in MY 2026/27, down from 7.9 million tonnes in MY 2025/26. At the same time, corn imports are forecast to rise to 5.7 million tonnes from 4.2 million tonnes, reflecting a wider gap between domestic output and usage.
Demand remains robust. USDA expects Türkiye’s total corn consumption to increase from 11.7 million tonnes to 12.0 million tonnes in MY 2026/27. Within that total, feed and residual use is seen rising from 10.3 million tonnes to 10.5 million tonnes, while food, seed and industrial use is projected to increase from 1.4 million tonnes to 1.5 million tonnes. Those figures suggest that the country’s import requirement is being driven not only by a weaker crop outlook, but also by still-strong demand from livestock, feed and processing industries.
That picture is broadly consistent with signals coming from the domestic industry. At the National Grain Council’s pre-harvest conference held in Konya on April 4, speakers highlighted mounting pressure on corn production prospects and the continuing role of feed demand in shaping the market. Recent import data also underline Türkiye’s continued reliance on Black Sea supply. According to USDA, corn imports in the first five months of MY 2025/26 (September-January) reached 1.3 million tonnes, of which 1.0 million tonnes came from Ukraine and 231,000 tonnes from Russia. In that context, the newly opened 3 million-tonne tariff quota is likely to be closely watched by Black Sea exporters as a fresh commercial opportunity.