Turkey becomes Brazil's largest cattle buyer: $904 million in 7 months

Quick summary

Turkey became Brazil's top buyer of live cattle in the first seven months of 2026, purchasing 40 percent of Brazil's live cattle exports. Turkey spent 904.6 million dollars for 299 thousand head of livestock, demonstrating how insufficient domestic production is magnifying foreign exchange losses.

Why it matters

The rising cost of Turkey's live animal imports continues to affect red meat prices for consumers. The inadequacy of domestic livestock policies is forcing the country to allocate a significant portion of its foreign exchange reserves to meat imports.

Key takeaways

• ›In January–July 2026, Turkey imported 299,282 head of live cattle from Brazil — 40.2% of Brazil's total export volume of 743,660 head over that period.
• ›Some 98.8% of Brazil's live cattle exports go to Middle Eastern markets; Turkey alone accounts for 40% of Brazil's entire live cattle export total.
• ›The total amount paid for live cattle imports reached $904.6 million, with overall import volumes rising 18.3% year-on-year.
• ›Agricultural Policy Expert Ergin Kahveci warns that the data signals Turkey is drifting toward a market structure structurally dependent on imports rather than domestic production.