Turkey's food imports hold strategic importance with an annual volume of $9.7 billion. Grains, legumes, oilseeds, coffee, tea, cocoa, and processed food products are the main import items. Food imports are subject to a strict regulatory framework under the control of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Control certificates, health certificates, and phytosanitary documents are mandatory for each shipment. Customs duty rates in the food sector are among the highest; up to 40% for meat products and 50% for dairy. Microbiological and chemical analyses, sample collection, and laboratory tests are required for customs clearance of each batch. These complex permit and control processes constitute the biggest operational challenge for food importers.
The biggest challenges in this industry and our AI-powered solutions
Import management tools designed specifically for your industry
Digitally manage control certificates, conformity certificates and food import permits.
Find the correct tariff position for chapter 01-24 food products with AI.
Precisely calculate unit cost for food products with high customs duties.
Minimize spoilage risk with expiry date tracking and logistics time planning.
Digitally archive microbiological and chemical analysis results.
Cold chain integrity is vital for maintaining product safety and quality in perishable food imports. Frozen food, fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy, and meat products require uninterrupted temperature control from production point to end consumer. In-container temperature monitoring, port waiting times, and delays in customs inspection processes increase the risk of cold chain breaks. For products with short shelf life, every day of customs clearance directly shortens the product's sellable life. Therefore, food importers must demonstrate high performance in logistics process optimization, fast customs clearance, and effective inventory management.
Sector-specific import automation with AI-powered tools
Pre-prepare customs documents for perishable food products and minimize customs clearance time. Eliminate delays caused by missing documents with automatic document verification.
Manage permits and licenses required from the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health, and other institutions on a single platform. Validity periods and renewal reminders work automatically.
Automatically generate compliance checklists of required documents, tests, and permits for each food product group. Reduce customs rejection risk with complete compliance.
Food imports require a control certificate from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, a conformity certificate from the Ministry of Health, and special permits if applicable.
Customs duty rates on food products can be quite high. Up to 40% for meat products and 50% for dairy. Varies between 5-45% for grains and legumes.
VAT rate for basic food items is 1%. Processed food products have 10% VAT, luxury food and beverages have 20% VAT.