After nearly a year, Turkey’sMinistry of Agriculture has decided to lift the remaining ban on a variety of agricultural exports, most notably tomatoes. 

The measure was originally put in place to secure domestic supply and combat inflation, according to a recent report by the USDA.

This latest announcement comes right on the heels of the ministry's decision to ban tomato exports from March 2 through April 14 of this year, following the earthquake, which directly affected 11 provinces in the country.

“The ban triggered a backlash within the domestic tomato industry, which depends on exports for its survival,” the report said. 

In January 2022, the Turkish government published a new regulation delegating specific authority to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to ban exports, when necessary, to stabilize domestic market conditions.

At the time, the Turkish industry pointed out that supplies were more than sufficient to meet both domestic and export demand. The sector also emphasized that any disruption would cause significant economic harm. 

Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and Romania are the primary markets to which Turkish tomatoes are destined during the March season, as well as several other countries. 

In 2022, tomato exports were about 520,000 metric tons. Red meat, some pulses and sunflower oil were also among the commodities affected by the previous ban.

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