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Turkey's Ministry of Trade has announced a new package of customs duty adjustments on imports of dry onions and oil sunflower seeds, a move aimed at strengthening food supply security and striking a balance between the interests of producers and consumers. Under the decision, the import duty on sunflower seeds will be reduced from 20% to 12% effective October 1, 2026, advancing the previously scheduled date of November 30, 2026. The 5% import duty on dry onions will meanwhile be extended through January 31, 2027.
In its statement, the Ministry explained that it continues to coordinate with the relevant institutions and deploys all available trade policy tools in a timely manner. The objective is to guide markets in the right direction, prevent speculative price movements, secure the supply of essential food products, and meet the country's needs through domestic production, while safeguarding the welfare of both producers and consumers.
Regarding sunflower seeds, the Ministry noted that these seeds are the principal raw material used in producing refined sunflower oil. It therefore seeks to apply import duties that allow manufacturers to procure the seeds at appropriate prices while protecting local producers. A 20% duty currently applies during the harvest season, dropping to 12% during the period from November 30 to June 15 each year.
The Ministry reached an agreement with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to cut the import duty on oil sunflower seeds from 20% to 12% from October 1, 2026, earlier than the previously scheduled November 30 of the same year.
The decision is underpinned by ongoing developments in the Black Sea region, combined with the wave of drought sweeping across the European continent, and the associated potential risks to supply security and upward pressure on prices. The move aims to enable sunflower oil manufacturers to secure adequate raw material volumes at suitable prices and at the right time, thereby shielding consumer prices of refined sunflower oil from any negative impact.
On dry onions, the Ministry extended the application of the 5% import tariff through January 31, 2027, noting that this measure had been scheduled to expire on August 31 of the current year. It is worth noting that customs duties on onion imports stood at 49.5% prior to this latest modification.
Source: Turkey Now