Sunflower Seed Import Tax Cut Brought Forward
· Google Haberler
The Ministries of Trade and Agriculture and Forestry have moved the start date for the 12% reduced import tax on sunflower oilseed imports from November 30 to October 1.
Import Tax Schedule Brought Forward
In agreement between the Ministry of Trade and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, a change has been made to the customs tax schedule applied to sunflower oilseed imports. Under normal circumstances, the 20% tax, applied to protect domestic producers during the harvest period, was reduced to 12% between November 30 and June 15 each year. According to the Ministry's statement, this year the aforementioned reduction will be effective from October 1, 2026, instead of November 30.
Global Drought and Supply Risks
Among the reasons for the decision are the geopolitical developments in the Black Sea basin and the drought risk affecting Europe. According to the Ministry of Trade data, raw material uncertainties in global markets have necessitated new measures for basic food supply. In line with these climatic and regional pressures, the aim is to facilitate industrialists' access to raw materials and prevent speculative price movements.
Market Balance and Price Stability
With the new regulation, it is aimed that sunflower oil producing industrialists will have access to sufficient quantities of seeds at affordable costs. The Ministry stated that by maintaining the supply-demand balance in the domestic market, stability in the prices of refined sunflower oil offered to consumers will continue. It was announced to the public that measures that consider the welfare of both domestic producers and consumers, through inter-agency coordination, will continue to be implemented in a timely manner.