Turkey has announced a sulphur export ban from 7 April, excluding shipments already cleared by customs.
The export of goods under customs tariff position 2503, namely "all kinds of sulphur (excluding sublimed sulphur, precipitated sulphur and colloidal sulphur)", shall not be permitted as of 7 April (inclusive), except for customs declarations registered prior to this date, according to a letter from Turkey's agriculture ministry dated 1 April.
The export restriction was approved by government on 6 April and will apply during the second and third quarters of 2026, with limited exemptions.
The letter says the export ban is due to a 35–40pc surge in sulphur prices alongside supply shortages, driven by the conflict in the Middle East.
Turkish refiner Tupras regularly announces a monthly 8,000t export tender for the Mediterranean market, which is now understood to be on hold.
Turkey exported about 226,500t of sulphur in 2025, according to Global Trade Tracker, with the majority of volumes going to Egypt, Tanzania — for the copper belt — Greece and Lebanon.
