Turkey-EU agricultural trade reaches $11.4 billion

November 3, 2026 · Milliyet Ekonomi

Speaking at the Turkey-EU High-Level Agriculture Dialogue meeting, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı announced that €3.4 billion in investments have been realized under IPARD, and bilateral agricultural trade is growing rapidly.

Critical Agriculture Summit in Ankara

Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı attended the 3rd Turkey-EU High-Level Agriculture Dialogue Meeting, held at the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works, to discuss the strategic partnership and future goals between the two sides. Food supply security, rural development policies, and the future of the IPARD Program were comprehensively addressed at the high-level summit. Minister Yumaklı stated that the agricultural dialogue between Turkey and the European Union serves a vital function for regional stability. The discussions aimed to deepen agricultural and food trade, while the contributions of sustainable agriculture steps to common prosperity were evaluated. The meeting delivered strong messages regarding the continued strengthening of mutual institutional cooperation.

Global Crises and Food Security

Minister İbrahim Yumaklı emphasized that these contacts hold greater strategic importance than ever due to geopolitical crises experienced globally. Yumaklı noted that the war between Russia and Ukraine, along with military conflicts in the Middle East, are pressuring logistics supply corridors, and that the climate crisis and water stress are directly straining agricultural production systems. Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı made the following statements regarding food supply security:

'In such a critical conjuncture, cooperation in agriculture between the EU and Turkey, an aspiring country and strategic partner, has become more important than ever. Strengthening this cooperation is not merely a preference but a strategic necessity for supporting regional stability and common prosperity. With its strong production capacity, geographical location, and logistics infrastructure, Turkey plays a key role in the food supply security of Europe and our region.'

Minister Yumaklı also recalled that through diplomatic efforts, over 33 million tons of food have been delivered to global markets via the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

Record Increase in Bilateral Agricultural Trade

According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the mutual trade volume between Turkey and the European Union continues to rise steadily. Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı made the following remarks regarding trade figures and market access opportunities:

'Our bilateral trade is strengthening every year. Our agricultural exports to the EU reached $8.3 billion in 2025. In the first 9 months of 2026, our bilateral agricultural trade volume increased by 10.7% compared to the same period last year, reaching approximately $11.4 billion. In our meeting today, we discussed maintaining this positive trend and further advancing our trade relations. In this context, we evaluated improving mutual market access opportunities and developing a preferential trade regime for agricultural and processed agricultural products. We also expressed our desire to advance our cooperation on the mutual protection of geographical indications.'

During the meeting, attention was drawn to the importance of removing trade barriers and developing a preferential trade regime between the parties.

New Targets for Geographical Indications

The protection and registration of Turkish agricultural products in international markets were also discussed in detail during the meetings. Minister Yumaklı announced that 28 new products have received EU registration as a result of intensive work carried out over the last 3 years. It was stated that the number of Turkish geographical indication products registered in the European Union has thus risen to 46. Yumaklı indicated that there are 8 more products whose processes are ongoing and are expected to receive final registration soon, adding that they aim to increase the added value of these products. It was noted that these steps will increase the income of local producers and ensure the global protection of traditional agricultural heritage.

IPARD Investments in Rural Development

Stating that IPARD is the most concrete example of the partnership between Turkey and the European Union in rural areas, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı conveyed the program's contribution with the following words:

'To date, approximately 27,000 projects have been supported under these programs, €3.4 billion in investment has been brought into our economy, and employment opportunities have been provided to over 107,000 citizens.'

Addressing the need to increase resources in the 2028-2034 budget period in future planning, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı concluded the cooperation process as follows:

'This will enable us to more strongly support the future investments of our young farmers, women entrepreneurs, and rural businesses. Since 2005, Turkey has been undergoing a comprehensive transformation process in many areas towards its goal of EU membership. Transforming our common interests into tangible gains requires strengthening and advancing the membership perspective. In this framework, we expect the 2026 Turkey Report, to be published in the coming days, to reflect our country's constructive efforts and progress with an objective approach. In this context, we believe our work in the field of agriculture and our will to develop cooperation will be evaluated fairly. We desire the High-Level Agriculture Dialogue between Turkey and the EU to continue with a regular, constructive, and results-oriented approach.'

Praise for Turkey from the European Union

Speaking at the meeting, Christophe Hansen, the EU Commissioner for Agriculture, stated that Turkey is an indispensable trade partner for Europe. Hansen expressed that trade relations directly benefit the farmers and producers of both sides, as well as consumers who access affordable food, and praised Turkey's strategic logistical strength. EU Commissioner for Agriculture Christophe Hansen made the following assessment in his speech:

'We appreciate Turkey's determined and sustainable initiatives to support food security, including its efforts to facilitate the safe passage of grain through the Black Sea.'

The contacts in Ankara concluded with wishes for the determined continuation of joint projects and budget planning for the future.

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