Turkey wants to return to the “grain corridor” format in the Black Sea
31.08.2026 - 11:59
Turkey has intensified negotiations with Ukraine and Russia on the creation of a new security mechanism in the Black Sea.
According to Ekonomim, no products are currently arriving in Turkey from either Ukraine or Russia.
The Istanbul Grain Exporters Association stressed that almost 100 million tons of food cannot enter the market, which is why some of the products are starting to spoil. Currently, grain prices have already increased by 4-4.5%.
“The process of creating a grain corridor in the Black Sea has been completely interrupted. Currently, no products are arriving in Turkey from either Ukraine or Russia. If the problem is not resolved within two months, the price increase may exceed 10%,” said the association’s president, Kazim Taici.
Turkish Deputy Minister of Transport Durmuş Yunuvar, during a meeting with the Chamber of Maritime Commerce, noted that diplomatic channels are working around the clock, but there are no clear deadlines for concluding an agreement yet.
“If a new security mechanism is agreed, it should ensure the protection of merchant ships and reduce pressure on world food markets. Blocking supplies also poses risks for Turkey itself. Despite the fact that the country’s domestic market is fully supplied with food, exports of processed products are under threat. Turkey purchases raw materials from Ukraine and Russia, processes them and exports finished products,” the Turkish media wrote.
The article notes that in 2025 this direction brought the country $ 13 billion. A prolonged stoppage of maritime transportation could cause significant losses to Turkish exports.
Can Turkey affect exports from the ports of Great Odesa? USM spoke with experts in the maritime and agricultural industries to find out how Turkey’s decision could affect shipping and the freight market.
