By Godson Umejiego, Bureau Chief, The Americas
The US Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) is now accepting applications for its agribusiness trade mission to Istanbul, Türkiye, scheduled for May 11–14. US exporters interested in exploring trade opportunities in Türkiye, the Caucasus and Central Asia must apply by Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026.
“With stable economic growth and proven demand for high-quality US food in Türkiye and the surrounding region, now is the time for US agribusinesses and producers to take advantage of the momentum that President Trump has been building in trade worldwide,” said USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke J. Lindberg. “This trade mission hopes to follow in the successes we’ve had so far under this administration and I’m looking forward to connecting US exporters with key buyers to forge partnerships and tap into these dynamic markets.”
The US was Türkiye’s fifth-largest supplier of agricultural products in 2024, while Türkiye ranked as the 16th-largest market for US agricultural exports – a figure that has grown roughly 45 per cent since 2020. Total US agricultural product exports to Türkiye exceed US$1.7 billion, including more than US$590 million in retail-ready goods like snack and pet foods, fruits, meats and dairy products.
USDA sees strong opportunities for continuing growth in Türkiye and the surrounding region, reflecting increasing consumer demand and expanding supply chains for the product groups including:
Tree nuts
Soybeans
Pulses
Dried distiller grains and solubles
Seafood
Poultry
Beef and pork
Prepared foods, sauces, condiments, sweets and snacks
Live animals, livestock genetics, hides and skins
Alcoholic beverages, distilled spirits and wine
Participants will join buyers from Türkiye, Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan for targeted business-to-business meetings to discuss market opportunities. FAS staff and regional experts will be on hand to host market briefings, site visits and networking events.
Visit the application page for more information. The application deadline is Tuesday, Feb. 24.
The agribusiness trade mission to Türkiye is one of several USDA-led export promotion initiatives in 2026. USDA will announce application details for planned missions to Australia and Saudia Arabia soon. An additional trade mission to Vietnam will follow later in 2026.
