Türkiye opens tenders for 455,000 tonnes of feed grains to support livestock sector

TÜRKİYE – The Turkish Grain Board (TMO) has launched two import tenders to secure 455,000 tonnes of feed raw materials, including barley and corn, as the country seeks to strengthen supply for its livestock and feed industries.

The agency held a tender on March 13, 2026, for the purchase of 175,000 tonnes of feed barley, followed by another tender on March 16 for 280,000 tonnes of feed corn. 

The combined procurement program aims to ensure sufficient feed grain availability amid strong demand from the livestock sector.

According to the tender specifications, feed barley shipments will be distributed across several ports. 

Each of the ports of İskenderun, Adana (Yumurtalık), Mersin, İzmir and Bandırma will receive 25,000 tonnes. 

Tekirdağ is scheduled to receive 10,000 tonnes, while Samsun and Trabzon will each receive 20,000 tonnes.

Feed corn imports will also be allocated to major grain-handling points. 

İzmir is set to receive 100,000 tonnes, Bandırma 75,000 tonnes, Samsun 25,000 tonnes and the Karasu–Derince corridor 80,000 tonnes.

Under the procurement program, shipments are expected to begin loading in late March with deliveries scheduled to be completed by mid-April. 

The grain will be supplied on a CFR basis to warehouses or free zones.

The latest tenders follow another procurement action by TMO on February 26, when the agency opened a separate tender for 350,000 tonnes of feed corn. 

With the newly announced purchases, the total volume of planned short-term feed raw material imports has exceeded 800,000 tonnes.

Market interventions by the Turkish Grain Board are a regular feature of the country’s grain policy. 

Authorities use import tenders to stabilise feed costs and ensure sufficient raw material supplies for the livestock sector during periods of tight domestic availability or price volatility.

Türkiye’s large feed industry drives grain demand

Demand for feed grains in Türkiye is supported by one of the largest compound feed industries in the region. 

According to the Turkish Feed Manufacturers Association, the country produces more than 27 million tonnes of compound feed annually, supplying poultry, cattle and aquaculture producers.

Poultry feed accounts for the largest share of production, reflecting the scale of Türkiye’s broiler and egg industries, which are among the largest in the Middle East and Europe. 

Corn and barley remain key ingredients in poultry and livestock rations, making their availability and prices critical to feed manufacturers.

Recent years’ global grain market volatility has heightened the importance of government interventions to maintain stable supplies for the domestic feed sector.

By securing additional imports through tenders, TMO aims to ease pressure on feed manufacturers and livestock producers while supporting continued production in Türkiye’s large poultry and livestock industries.

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