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Türkiye is cutting its cattle import quota to 480,000 head for 2027, down from 2026's 500,000, as the country’s livestock population continues to grow and authorities scale back permits for imported feeder cattle.
The reduction comes under the country’s Livestock Roadmap, which aims to expand domestic production while managing supply in the local market.
Türkiye’s cattle population rose from 16.6 million in 2023 to roughly 17 million in 2024 and 17.7 million in 2025, reaching 17.8 million head by June 2026, according to the Turkish Statistical Institute.
The herd has grown 7.4% since 2023, an increase of more than 1.2 million head. At the same time, import permits for feeder cattle fell from 600,000 head in 2024 to 520,000 in 2025 and 500,000 in 2026.
Imports are now handled through the Meat and Milk Board (ESK), which took over the process in 2024. That year, 479,803 heads entered the country, followed by 428,569 in 2025. As of Sept. 15, 2026, the figure stood at 252,024, with about 350,000 expected by year-end.
For 2027, authorities plan to authorize imports of 480,000 head of feeder male cattle, excluding public institutions and organizations.
Of that total, 380,000 head will be allocated to farms with cattle-fattening barn capacity of 200 head or more, while 100,000 head will be reserved for businesses below that capacity.
The new allocation system will prioritize smaller producers and farms engaged in continuous livestock production, while directing imported cattle toward active farming operations.
Authorities are also seeking to strengthen the domestic breeding herd by supporting rural producers and increasing the supply of pregnant beef-breed heifers.
Demand for pregnant beef-breed heifers has risen sharply, with supply reaching 130,000 head by September 2026, up from about 50,000 last year.
The figure is expected to approach 200,000 by year-end.
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