Turkey is a big market for imported edible oils, but it is not a market where every type of oil follows the same trade pattern. Sunflower oil sits at the centre of the import business, while palm oil and other vegetable oils create separate opportunities for food manufacturers, refiners, traders and cooking-oil businesses to connect with bulk edible oil buyers in Turkey.
The numbers make that clear. In 2024, Turkey imported about $1.30 billion worth of crude sunflower-seed and safflower oil. Palm oil was another major import category, with imports of $737.79 million for non-crude palm oil and liquid fractions.
That gives edible oil exporters more than one way into the Turkish market. But it also means that finding edible oil importers in Turkey is only the first step. The more useful question is what kind of oil the buyer actually imports, whether it is crude or refined, and where that oil fits into the buyer's business.
Sunflower oil stands out in Turkey's import figures, particularly in crude form.
| HS Code | Product | Turkey Imports, 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 151211 | Crude sunflower/safflower oil | $1.304 billion |
| 151190 | Palm oil, excluding crude, and liquid fractions | $737.79 million |
| 151219 | Sunflower/safflower oil, excluding crude | $27.16 million |
| 1515 | Other fixed vegetable oils and fractions | $34.12 million |
Source: WITS / UN Comtrade, 2024.
The difference between crude and refined products is particularly important here.
Turkey's crude sunflower-oil imports are measured in billions of dollars, while imports of non-crude sunflower and safflower oil under HS 151219 were only about $27.16 million in 2024. That is a very different market.
The crude sunflower business is also heavily tied to nearby Black Sea suppliers. Ukraine was the largest supplier to Turkey in 2024 on exporter-reported data, while Serbia, the European Union and Bulgaria were other significant sources. Turkey's own import-side WITS data places the total crude sunflower/safflower import market at about $1.30 billion.
Palm oil follows a different sourcing pattern. Turkey imported about 739.87 million kg of non-crude palm oil and liquid fractions in 2024. Malaysia supplied around $658.70 million of that trade, while Indonesia supplied another $76.83 million.
The concentration is hard to miss.
For businesses researching vegetable oil importers in Turkey , this is an important starting point. The market is large, but the largest parts of it are already connected to well-established international supply chains.
Turkey's edible-oil import business is closely connected to its food-processing, refining and regional trading activity.
For industrial vegetable oil buyers in Turkey , importing crude oil can make sense when the product is going into refining or further processing. Other buyers may be looking for refined oil that can move into food manufacturing, distribution or the retail market.
That difference matters when approaching edible oil buyers in Turkey.
A refinery looking for a bulk cargo of crude sunflower oil will have a very different requirement from a distributor looking for refined sunflower oil in retail-ready packaging. A food manufacturer buying palm oil may have another set of specifications altogether.
Turkey's position as both an importer and exporter also adds another layer to the market. In 2024, the country exported about $258.39 million of crude sunflower/safflower oil, with Iran and Iraq taking the largest shares. That suggests the Turkish market is not only about domestic consumption. Imported and processed oils can also feed into wider regional trade.
This makes Turkey an interesting market for exporters that can supply consistently and work with buyers that understand bulk and processed-oil trade.
But it also means a broad “we supply edible oil” approach is unlikely to be enough.
The buyer's intended use matters.
Anyone researching top vegetable oil buyers in Turkey should start with the HS code rather than treating edible oil as one broad category.
| HS Code | Product Category | Relevance to Turkey |
|---|---|---|
| 1507 | Soybean oil and fractions | Smaller vegetable-oil segment |
| 1508 | Groundnut/peanut oil | Specialty segment |
| 1509 | Olive oil | Consumer and premium market |
| 1511 | Palm oil and fractions | Major import category |
| 1512 | Sunflower, safflower and cottonseed oil | Major category, especially crude sunflower oil |
| 1513 | Coconut, palm-kernel and babassu oils | Smaller but established segment |
| 1514 | Rapeseed, colza and mustard oil | Additional vegetable-oil category |
| 1515 | Other fixed vegetable oils | Important specialty segment |
| 1516 | Hydrogenated/interesterified fats and oils | Food manufacturing and industrial use |
| 1517 | Margarine and edible mixtures | Processed edible-fat products |
The distinction between crude and non-crude products is especially useful in Turkey.
Under HS 151219, Turkey imported $27.16 million of sunflower and safflower oil excluding crude in 2024. Bosnia and Herzegovina supplied about $13.05 million and Serbia another $11.84 million.
By contrast, Turkey's HS 1515 imports were worth $34.12 million, and India alone supplied $17.48 million. That makes India the largest individual supplier in that broad category.
There is a qualification here. HS 1515 covers a range of fixed vegetable fats and oils and is not a pure cooking-oil category. Still, India's position is worth noticing because it shows that Indian suppliers already have a meaningful place in parts of Turkey's vegetable-oil trade.
That is perhaps more useful for an exporter than simply looking at the size of the overall market.
The Turkish buyer market includes trading companies, food businesses, processors and companies dealing in specific cooking-oil products. Recent shipment data provides a useful starting point, but these names should be treated as shipment-based buyer leads rather than a guarantee of current purchasing requirements.
Recent sunflower-seed-oil shipment data identifies DIA PULSES JOINT STOCK COMPANY among the leading Turkish buyers, with 22 recorded import shipments in the dataset. HELVAC ZADE GIDA İLAÇ KİMYA SANAYİ VE TİCARET A.Ş. followed with 21 shipments. The same dataset also records recent raw sunflower-seed-oil shipments for Helvac Zade, including cargoes of 486,000 kg and 238,000 kg.
For exporters looking at cooking-oil requirements, TURTAS IMPORT AND EXPORT JOINT STOCK COMPANY also appears in Turkish shipment data. Its available records include sunflower-related trade, although some of the recent records are for sunflower meal rather than oil, so the product requirement should be checked carefully before approaching the company.
There are also active buying leads in Turkey that show the kind of demand exporters are encountering. For example, recent Turkish buyer enquiries have included crude sunflower oil in quantities of 10,000 tonnes, as well as refined sunflower oil for cooking use and containerised shipments.
| Buyer / Company | Relevant Segment | What an Exporter Should Check |
|---|---|---|
| DIA PULSES JOINT STOCK COMPANY | Sunflower-seed oil | Current buying cycle and exact product |
| HELVAC ZADE GIDA İLAÇ KİMYA SANAYİ VE TİCARET A.Ş. | Raw/refined sunflower-oil trade | Grade, origin and shipment size |
| TURTAS IMPORT AND EXPORT JOINT STOCK COMPANY | Sunflower-related trade | Whether the current requirement is oil or meal |
| ADA GIDA SANAYİ A.Ş. | Edible/sunflower oil | Current quantity, packaging and destination |
| Other active Turkish buyers | Refined and crude sunflower oil | Product specification and current enquiry |
These are useful names to research, but shipment data should not be confused with a live purchase order. A company that imported oil last year may not be looking for the same grade, origin or volume today.
That is why the buyer itself is only one part of the equation.
The product has to fit as well.
For bulk edible oil, the port is closely linked to the buyer's refinery, storage facilities and inland distribution network.
Mersin is particularly relevant for the edible-oil trade. Recent Turkish buyer enquiries for crude and refined sunflower oil have specifically mentioned Mersin as the destination port, including requirements for shipments ranging from container quantities to several thousand tonnes.
Izmir and Aliaga are also relevant to Turkey's wider refined-oil and food trade. Shipment data for refined sunflower oil shows Mersin, Izmir, Iskenderun and Aliaga among the ports appearing in recent import records.
Iskenderun provides another southern gateway, particularly relevant for businesses serving southern Turkey and nearby regional markets.
Turkey has specific import controls for food and plant-origin products, and exporters need to work with the Turkish importer to establish the exact requirements before shipment.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's current import framework covers plant-origin food and feed products and provides for pre-notification, document checks, identity checks and physical controls, including sampling and laboratory analysis where required.
1. Check the exact HS classification.
The first step is to establish the correct Turkish customs classification for the oil. Crude sunflower oil, refined sunflower oil, palm oil and other vegetable oils can fall under different tariff lines, and the applicable procedure should be confirmed before the commercial quotation is finalised.
2. Confirm the import-control procedure.
Turkey's food-import system requires the importer to complete the relevant notification and control procedures. The Turkish importer should confirm the applicable process with the competent Provincial Directorate before the shipment arrives.
3. Make sure the product meets Turkish food legislation.
The product has to comply with the applicable Turkish Food Codex requirements. Where official controls are carried out, the authorities can review documents, verify the identity of the shipment and conduct physical examination, sampling and laboratory analysis.
4. Keep the required certificates and documents ready.
The exact documentation depends on the product and import procedure. Certificates, commercial documents, product information and other supporting papers should be agreed with the Turkish buyer before loading rather than being assembled after the cargo has reached the port.
5. Check labelling and packaging.
For finished cooking oils, the label and packaging need to comply with the applicable Turkish food requirements. The importer should confirm the exact requirements for the product, packaging format and intended market before production.
6. Agree on the product specification.
This is particularly important for edible oils.
The buyer should confirm whether it needs crude, refined, deodorised or another specific grade, along with parameters such as quality, purity, packaging and shipment size.
7. Be prepared for inspection.
Turkey's official-control system can include document control, identity control and physical control, including sampling and laboratory analysis. The importer therefore needs to have the shipment documentation and product information in order before the cargo arrives.
8. Calculate the complete landed cost.
The commercial calculation should go beyond the FOB quotation:
FOB price + freight + insurance + applicable duties/taxes + port charges + customs clearance + inland freight + storage/handling.
For an exporter, this is often where a seemingly competitive quotation can lose its advantage.
Finding edible oil importers in Turkey is one part of the process. The more important question is whether the buyer needs the particular oil, quantity and specification that you can supply.
Turkey's import data points clearly towards sunflower oil and palm oil, with crude sunflower oil standing out by a wide margin. At the same time, the country's trade in other vegetable-oil categories shows that there are smaller but meaningful routes for suppliers from countries such as India.
The opportunity, therefore, is not simply about finding a long list of vegetable oil buyers in Turkey.
It is about finding the right buyer for the right oil, in the right format and at a delivered cost that works for both sides.
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This content is for general informational purposes and is based on WITS/UN Comtrade data and the trade information cited in the source material. Shipment-based buyer names should be treated as potential buyer leads, not guarantees of current purchasing requirements. Import regulations, product requirements and commercial conditions can change, so exporters should verify the latest Turkish customs, food-safety and import-control requirements with the buyer before shipment.
Crude sunflower and safflower oil is the largest category highlighted, with Turkey importing about $1.304 billion in 2024.
Turkey imported about $737.79 million of non-crude palm oil and liquid fractions in 2024. Malaysia supplied around $658.70 million of this trade.
Shipment data identifies DIA Pulses Joint Stock Company, Helvac Zade Gida Ilaç Kimya Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S., TURTAS Import and Export Joint Stock Company and ADA Gida Sanayi A.S. as the buyer leads. Current requirements should be verified before approaching them.
Mersin, Izmir, Aliaga and Iskenderun appear in recent edible-oil import and buyer-enquiry data.
Exporters should confirm the HS classification, import-control procedure, Turkish Food Codex requirements, documentation, labelling, packaging and exact product specifications with the Turkish importer.
The calculation should include the FOB price, freight, insurance, applicable duties and taxes, port charges, customs clearance, inland freight and storage or handling costs.
