Turkey and EU Deepen Cooperation in Agricultural Trade

November 3, 2026 · Sabah Ekonomi

The Turkey-EU High-Level Agricultural Dialogue Summit in Ankara addressed food supply security, a bilateral trade volume of $11.4 billion, and the future of IPARD funds.

Strategic Agricultural Summit in Ankara

Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı attended the 3rd Meeting of the Turkey-EU High-Level Agricultural Dialogue, held at the Namık Kiper Meeting Hall of the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works (DSİ). The critical meeting, conducted behind closed doors, was attended by Christophe Hansen, the EU Commissioner for Agriculture, and representatives from the EU Delegation to Turkey. The main agenda items included food supply security, rural development policies, agricultural trade, and the future of the IPARD program. Following the discussions, Minister Yumaklı stated that the inter-delegation contacts were highly productive and expressed his desire for the process to continue with a constructive approach.

Global Crises and Food Security

Noting that the meeting took place at a critical juncture with deepening regional crises, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı made the following assessment:

'I thank the Commissioner for his constructive approach. The timing of our meeting today carries more strategic significance than ever, considering the multi-layered crises the world is navigating.'

Minister Yumaklı pointed out that the war between Russia and Ukraine in the north and tensions in the Middle East are straining supply chains, while the climate crisis and water stress are pressuring agricultural production. He reminded that Turkey is indispensable with its strong logistics infrastructure and recalled that over 33 million tons of food were delivered to world markets under the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

New Record Level in Agricultural Trade

Referring to the bilateral agricultural trade figures with the European Union, Minister İbrahim Yumaklı stated that commercial relations are gaining momentum. According to official data released by the Ministry, Turkey achieved total agricultural exports of $8.3 billion to the European Union in 2025. In the first 9 months of 2026, the bilateral agricultural trade volume increased by 10.7% compared to the same period of the previous year, reaching $11.4 billion. During the meeting, opportunities for improved market access and the development of preferential trade regimes for agricultural and processed agricultural products were comprehensively discussed.

Increased Number of Geographical Indications Registered

Yumaklı announced their aim to protect the traditional products of the Anatolian geography in the international market and expressed their commitment to the mutual protection of geographical indications. As a result of the work carried out by the Ministry, 28 local products have received EU registration in the last 3 years. With this move, the number of products registered with the EU on behalf of Turkey officially rose to 46. Minister Yumaklı stated that there are 8 more products in the suspension period awaiting final registration, and with strong cooperation, the number of registered products will increase exponentially in the coming period.

Great Success in IPARD Rural Investments

Minister Yumaklı described the IPARD program as the most concrete tool for rural development initiatives and shared the added value created by the funds. He reported that approximately 27,000 projects have been supported under IPARD to date, bringing €3.4 billion in investment to the economy and creating employment for over 107,000 citizens. Emphasizing that IPARD-3 has been extended to all 81 provinces, the Minister added that they have requested an increase in the financial resources allocated to Turkey for the 2028-2034 budget period to support young farmers and women entrepreneurs.

Open Appreciation from the European Union to Turkey

Speaking at the meeting, EU Commissioner for Agriculture Christophe Hansen made the following statements:

'Russia's aggression against Ukraine and developments in the Middle East again show how sensitive, how fragile global food supply chains can be. It shows how fragile they can be in terms of geopolitical stability. In this regard, as the European Union, we appreciate Turkey's important role, its important role in the Black Sea, and we encourage its continued efforts to support food security. We want to encourage its continued support for ensuring the safe passage of grain through the Black Sea.'

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