Shafaq News- Ankara/ Baghdad/ Tehran

Iraq’s imports of Turkish grains, pulses, oil seeds, and related food products fell 28.2% during the first four months of 2026, dropping to $456.6 million, according to data released Saturday by the Turkish Grain, Pulses, Oil Seeds, and Products Exporters’ Association, amid weaker regional demand and disruption caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

The decline follows years of strong growth in Turkish exports to Iraq, which remained Ankara’s largest grain-sector market in 2025 despite an annual decline of 15.4%, with imports reaching $871.9 million between January and November last year, according to Turkish trade data.

In contrast, trade between Turkiye and Iran rose sharply, with imports from the same sector climbing 37.6% to $103.6 million during the same period, making Tehran the seventh-largest market for Turkish grain-sector exports, despite the continuing US blockade on Iranian ports.

Overall, the Turkish grain sector exported $3.9 billion worth of products between January and April. Export volumes rose 16.7%, but total export value declined 5.2% after dollar-denominated export prices fell 13.9%. Sunflower oil recorded the sharpest increase among exports, surging 924% to $452.2 million, while exports of pasta, biscuits, confectionery products, and potato chips each exceeded $300 million during the period.