Turkish Grain Board (TMO) has announced plans to reinforce its official corn reserves as conflict-driven logistics bottlenecks in the Black Sea bring grain shipments from Russia and Ukraine to a near standstill. Aimed at safeguarding raw material supply for Türkiye’s expanding compound feed sector, the intervention seeks to curb price volatility before the domestic harvest concludes.

The General Directorate of the Turkish Grain Board (TMO) released an official market update confirming it has initiated precautionary corn stockpiling to prevent prospective supply squeezes and mitigate raw material-driven food inflation. TMO noted that while Türkiye’s domestic corn production for the current season is projected at approximately 8.1 million metric tons, internal consumption continues to expand rapidly, driven by the expanding requirements of the domestic feed manufacturing sector. The structural supply deficit, traditionally covered through external sourcing by both public and private entities, is facing severe headwinds due to escalating logistics turmoil in the Black Sea basin.

According to the market update, shipping channels from Russia and Ukraine, Türkiye’s primary origin suppliers for imported corn, have encountered severe operational friction, effectively stalling grain deliveries. The resulting shortage of imported grain has triggered intense demand for limited incoming cargoes, pushing offer prices well above normal market levels and instigating sharp domestic price fluctuations. While reassuring that current harvest prices allow domestic farmers to market their crop profitably, TMO emphasized that early market intervention is imperative to protect feed processors and livestock producers from speculative rallies and severe cost shocks.