At the Pre-Harvest Grain Congress organized by the Turkish National Grain Council (UHK) in Mardin, Mesut Çakmak, Chairman of the Turkish Flour Industrialists’ Federation (TUSAF), made important remarks about the industry.

He stated that while Türkiye entered last season with high wheat stocks, it is preparing to start the new season with a reasonable carryover stock of around 4 million tons.
Although the wheat import restrictions were lifted in mid-March, flour exports in the first quarter of this year fell by more than 40% compared to the same period last year. However, a recovery is expected in the coming months.
Çakmak also highlighted that while Türkiye has maintained its position as the world’s leading flour exporter for the past decade, Russia’s growing flour exports — exceeding 1 million tons in 2024 — could pose a significant competition in the future.

Regarding Iraq, one of the top destinations for Turkish flour, he warned that due to political tensions between the central government in Baghdad and the Kurdish Regional Government, Turkish flour shipments are unable to move south from Zakho. “Last year, we exported 1 million tons of flour to Iraq,” he said. “If the issue persists, our exports may drop to 750,000 tons this year.” Çakmak emphasized that the sector is seeking urgent solutions from the authorities to address this situation.

By Namık Kemal Parlak,
The Miller Magazine…