“We have the determination to elevate Türkiye to even greater heights in the global food trade.”
FROM THE CHAIRMAN
Global food trade is poised to enter 2026 with a relatively positive outlook, particularly driven by expectations of increased supply and consumption in wheat. While the decline in opening stocks in major producer and consumer countries such as China, Türkiye, and the EU is noteworthy, global wheat production is projected to reach record levels. As supply security for staple products, particularly wheat, returns to the centre of the global agenda, Türkiye is becoming one of the strategic actors in this transformation thanks to its production capacity, geographical advantages and strong industrial infrastructure. The integration of agriculture and industry is increasing our country's competitiveness in the food sector day by day. Despite climatic fluctuations, global price pressures and vulnerabilities in supply chains, the Turkish food sector maintains its strong position through its resilience, efficiency and innovative approach. This picture shows that Türkiye has become not only a producer but also a regional food hub.
Looking at our sector's export performance, we see a resilient picture for the remainder of the year. The value-based increase stems from unit price advantages, particularly in value-added products such as chocolate and cocoa products and sunflower oil. This trend strengthens our sector's competitiveness in low-volume but high-priced products. Contractions in our traditional markets are being offset by growth in new markets. These developments confirm the importance of our market diversification strategies, while the decline in high-volume items such as flour and pasta reflects changing global consumption habits. In order to regain our competitiveness in these product groups, we need to update our strategies by considering product-market fit and our cost structure. In such a period of intense competition, our companies must not only focus on their existing markets, but also increase their activities in new regions, accelerate their institutionalisation, and develop strategies that adapt to changing dynamics.
Our Sector Board, together with the Exporters' Associations affiliated to it, TGDF and ETÜDER, are taking another significant step towards advancing our global vision as the “Türkiye Food Platform”. In collaboration with TÜYAP and ALZ, we are preparing to showcase Türkiye's ambition in food exports to the world at the ‘Foodist İstanbul Food and Beverage Products Fair’ to be held on 1-4 September 2026. This fair will not only be a commercial meeting point, but also a showcase reflecting our country's innovative approach in the food sector, its strength in international markets, and its vision for the future. Our aim is to make Foodist İstanbul one of the world's three largest food fairs, positioning Türkiye as the true centre of global food trade.
We have the determination to elevate Türkiye even higher in global food trade by combining our strength from the land with industry, exports, and common goals. I would like to express my gratitude to the Ministry of Trade, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and our six Exporters' Associations for supporting us on this journey; I wish for a period where production, labour, and exports are crowned with abundance.
Ahmet Tiryakioğlu
Chairman of TİM Cereals, Pulses, Oil Seeds and Products Sector Board