New Plan for 480,000 Head of Livestock Imports

October 1, 2026 · sondakika.com

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry plans to import 480,000 head of feeder cattle for 2027, while CHP Niğde Deputy Ömer Fethi Gürer stated that the 2026 quota was filled in the first seven months, indicating imports have become a permanent policy.

2027 Animal Import Plan

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry announced plans to import 480,000 head of male feeder cattle for 2027 to close the supply gap in the livestock sector. Within the scope of the new calendar, it was stated that farm capacities in the TÜRKVET system will be taken as a basis, and farms without capacity registration will not be able to apply for import. Evaluating this announced target, CHP Niğde Deputy Ömer Fethi Gürer stated that a 20,000 head reduction compared to the previous period does not change the fundamental import policy and called for permanent solutions in animal husbandry.

2026 Import Targets Exceeded

According to official data shared by CHP Niğde Deputy Ömer Fethi Gürer, almost the entire 500,000 head import quota set by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry for the entirety of 2026 was filled in the first seven months of the year. In the said period, a total of 495,527 live animals were imported, including 82,454 head of breeding cattle and 413,073 head of non-breeding cattle. Gürer stated that $177,265,000 was spent on this live animal import, and said that reaching 99% of the annual target in the first seven months clearly reveals the inadequacy of domestic production.

Imports Have Become a Permanent Policy

Emphasizing that import practices are no longer a temporary market regulation tool, CHP Niğde Deputy Ömer Fethi Gürer recalled that every minister who came to power promised to end animal imports within three years and said:

'Imports can be implemented as a temporary measure. However, imports that continue for years cease to be temporary and become the policy itself.'

It was stated that it is imperative to establish economic models that will enable producers in Turkey to produce under sustainable conditions, instead of continuously transferring foreign currency abroad.

Rising Input Costs for Producers

Stating that the primary reason for livestock breeders giving up raising animals is the high cost pressure, Ömer Fethi Gürer said that the sector is being driven into an economic dead end. It was noted that due to the excessive increase in basic operating expenses such as feed, medicine, veterinary services, and electricity, the producer's income cannot cover expenses. It was stated that producers who cannot make a profit in the face of rising costs cannot expand their herds, and as a result, the resulting supply gap is constantly being tried to be closed with external purchases, and domestic producers are losing their market power.

Balance Sheet for Beef Imports

Ömer Fethi Gürer, who presented Turkey's rapid rise in red meat imports with official figures, stated that beef imports increased from 2,169 tons in 2022 to 36,538 tons in 2023 and 81,164 tons in 2024. According to official data, while 65,708 tons of meat were imported in 2025, imports reached 54,218 tons in the first seven months of 2026. It was reported that $535,398,000 was paid for beef imports in the seven-month period of 2026 alone.

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