Russian exports of agricultural products to Turkey increased by 54%

In January-March 2026, Russia supplied over $1.1 billion worth of agricultural products to Turkey, which is 54% more than in the same period last year. This was reported to Izvestia on May 20 by the press service of the federal center Agroexport.

Wheat is the leader among agricultural products exported to Turkey this year. In three months, its shipments increased 4.3 times, to more than $400 million. The second position is occupied by sunflower oil with a volume of almost $340 million, which is approximately the same as a year earlier. Corn closes the top 3: in the first quarter, its export to the republic increased 6.5 times, to $88 million.

In addition, at the beginning of this year, Russia significantly increased supplies of barley to Turkey (up to $56 million, 16 times more than in January –March 2025), beet pulp ($14 million, +33%), molasses ($11 million, 2.3 times more), beef (up to $4 million, 101 times more), rice (up to $3 million against only $1.6 thousand in January –March 2025).

"In recent years, Russia has been the largest supplier of agricultural products to Turkey. Our countries complement each other well in the trade of agricultural goods, and the geographical proximity and capacity of the Turkish market open up wide opportunities for the supply of domestic products to both b2b and b2c segments. In addition, Turkey is a major player and an important hub in trade with the countries of the Middle East and North Africa," Ilya Ilyushin, head of the Agroexport Federal Center, told Izvestia.

Turkey remains a key market for Russian grain. According to Ksenia Bolomatova, executive Director of the Union of Grain Exporters and Producers, one of the main factors behind the increase in grain exports this agricultural season was the recovery in demand from Turkey after a decrease in purchases in the 2024/25 season.

"The increase in the quota for grain exports from Russia also contributed. From July 2025 to March 2026, 5.9 million tons of wheat were delivered to Turkey, which is 2.5 times more than in the same period last season (2.4 million tons)," she said.

The further dynamics of supplies will be determined by the harvest in Turkey itself.

"Forecasts for wheat are favorable, but it must be borne in mind that Turkey is the largest grain processor and flour exporter, therefore, in addition to meeting domestic needs for food and fodder, it needs an additional stable influx of high—quality grain at competitive prices," Bolomatova recalled.

As for corn, its harvest in Turkey next season may decrease due to a reduction in acreage - farmers are opting for crops that require less water, said the executive director of the Union of Grain Exporters and Producers.

"This is already stimulating active purchases, including through tariff relief — in April (until the end of July 2026), a quota for corn imports of 3 million tons was introduced, under which imports will be subject to a reduced duty of 5% (versus 130%)," Bolomatova summed up.

You can't sow, you can't reap: rising fertilizer prices may affect crops

Farmers are asking the Ministry of Agriculture to return export duties and introduce quotas for the domestic market.

On April 28, the press service of Agroexport informed Izvestia that, according to preliminary estimates, in the first quarter of 2026, Russia exported 9.6 million tons of mineral fertilizers worth $3.6 billion. Compared to the same period in 2025, the volume of supplies increased by 16% in value terms. Shipments of complex fertilizers abroad for the period from January to March exceeded $1.6 billion, an increase of 16% compared to the same period last year.