Turkey blocks chicken exports ahead of Ramadan

• Trade ministry warns of price spikes
• Officials say costs have risen
• Exports to Gulf worth $700m

Turkey has banned the export of chicken products in the lead up to Ramadan to meet domestic demand and limit price spikes, but producers fear it will damage the sector’s credibility and harm long-term export prospects.

The ban, announced by the Ministry of Trade on February 8, is part of wider moves by the government to head off wholesale and retail cost increases for food products or hoarding of stocks in the lead up to the Islamic holy month, including blocking price rises on fresh and processed meats. 

The ministry said the ban on overseas sales came after poultry product prices rose sharply in recent weeks.

“In order to protect the market against chicken producers who are putting pressure on our citizens with unfair price increases of up to 15 percent before Ramadan, our Ministry of Trade has decided to halt chicken exports,” ministry spokesman Bekir Kaplan said. 

However, while officials cite the increase as an example of price gouging due to expected high demand for poultry products, a staple of fast-breaking meals during Ramadan in Turkey, sectoral representatives say no profiteering or market manipulation had taken place. 

In response to the ban, Bedri Girit, chairman of the board of directors of the Aegean Seafood and Animal Products Exporters Association, said the decision was harmful for the sector, while the justification given did not reflect the situation of the poultry sector.

Though input costs for labour and food had increased by 30 percent over the past year, poultry producers had only raised their prices by 11 percent since January 2025, he said in a statement.

The ban would affect producers who already have orders for exports ahead of Ramadan and in the future, said Girit, particularly in the key Middle Eastern market. 

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“Our largest markets are primarily Arab countries. This decision will make contract sales more difficult and distance Turkey from its position as a reliable supplier,” he said.

Turkey is ranked in the top 10 countries for chicken production, and exports to more than 50 markets. The Gulf is one of its leading sales destinations, generating around $700 million annually.

The poultry sector’s broader export earnings from the Middle East market are far higher once shipments of eggs and live fowl are taken into account, with estimated sales of more than $1bn a year. 

However, if Turkey’s poultry exporters are forced to default on orders for pre-Ramadan delivery, Gulf importers may have to scramble for new sources of stock, sources that could replace Turkish products in the region on a more permanent basis.