Live animal imports, which have continued uninterrupted in recent years to address Turkey’s red meat supply gap and rising prices, will also continue in 2026. With a new directive issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the scope of feeder cattle imports, the application calendar, and the implementation criteria have been clarified. As in previous years, the import process will be carried out under the control of the Meat and Milk Board (ESK).

The General Directorate of Livestock (HAYGEM) of Turkey’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has published the “2026 Feeder Cattle Import Application and Evaluation Directive.” According to the directive, Turkey plans to import a total of 500,000 head of feeder cattle throughout 2026. Of this total, 392,000 head will be allocated to operations with a feeder cattle barn capacity of 200 head or more, while 108,000 head will be reserved for farms with a capacity below 200 head.

Only the Meat and Milk Board (Et ve Süt Kurumu - ESK), Turkey’s state-owned market regulator, will be authorized to carry out feeder cattle imports, and the sales price of imported animals will also be determined by ESK. Applications will be accepted once per year, between 26 January and 6 February 2026, through provincial and district directorates of agriculture. Following the posting period, the final list of approved producers is expected to be announced on 23 February 2026.

Under the directive, imported feeder cattle will be delivered to producers in three phases. The first delivery period will cover April–May–June, the second July–August–September, and the third October–November–December. Authorities have stated that requests to change delivery periods after the application stage will not be considered.

For farms with a barn capacity below 200 head, the maximum import allocation has been capped at 30 animals. Coordination between ESK and these small-scale operations will be carried out through the Turkish Red Meat Producers’ Central Union (TÜKETBİR). In addition, small-scale producers will be deemed to have accepted in advance that imported animals must be slaughtered at ESK facilities at the end of the contract period. Failure to comply will result in forfeiture of guarantees and the application of strict sanctions.

For large-scale operations, the number of animals to be imported will be determined based on barn capacity. The directive specifies that different allocation ratios and quantities will apply depending on capacity size. It also stipulates that imported feeder cattle must remain at the importing farm for at least four months after entering the country, except in cases of force majeure. During this period, the sale, transfer, or movement of animals to another farm will be prohibited.

IMPORT POLICY SPARKS DEBATE ACROSS THE SECTOR

This latest regulation on feeder cattle imports has once again sparked debate within the sector. Producer organizations and some industry representatives argue that imports put pressure on domestic production, fail to address structural problems, and weaken producers’ willingness to invest. Critics also emphasize that creating price pressure through imports is not sustainable at a time when feed costs remain high. Public authorities, on the other hand, argue that the supply gap and price volatility in the red meat market cannot be managed through other tools in the short term, and that ESK’s market-regulating role is aimed at ensuring supply continuity and price stability.