Turkey is no longer accepting shipments of U.S. dried distiller grains (DDGs) citing tighter regulations of GMO crops. Turkey is the seventh largest market for U.S. DDGs as volumes soared by 78% in the first ten months of 2014 to 447,000 tons, approaching Canada’s volumes. Turkey has rejected three shipments and has diverted a fourth following the hit to U.S. DDG exports in June when China announced it would not issue any new import permits unless shipments could be guaranteed to be free of Syngenta’s genetically modified corn strain, MIR162. Domestic issues seem to be playing a role in the move by Turkey. A report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture bureau in Ankara indicates that soymeal output in Turkey for 2014/15 will reach a record 475,000 tons and some in the industry are pressuring the government to restrict imports of DDGs which are also being increasingly used in feed. Some relief might come for U.S. exporters as it is rumored that China is working toward easing its restrictions and may soon be accepting some U.S. DDG shipments.
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