Classification
Product TypeRaw Material
Product FormRaw (Liquid)
Industry PositionPrimary Agricultural Product
Raw Material
Market
Sheep milk in Türkiye is a significant domestic dairy raw material, largely processed into value-added products such as yogurt, butter and multiple traditional cheeses (e.g., Tulum and Van Otlu). Recent official statistics reporting indicate a year-on-year decline in sheep milk volumes in 2025 versus 2024, highlighting supply sensitivity. Production is linked to Türkiye’s large small-ruminant population, with major herds concentrated in Eastern and Central Anatolia and notable provincial concentration (e.g., Van). Seasonality is material: spring-to-early-summer is typically the strongest period for sheep-milk-based artisanal production in eastern regions, while farm-level studies in Central Anatolia show lactation/milking seasons extending from late March into autumn under managed systems.
Market RoleMajor producer; domestic processing-oriented market
Domestic RoleKey input for traditional cheeses and other dairy products; predominantly used in domestic processing rather than traded as raw milk.
Market GrowthMixed (recent (2024–2025) official-statistics context)recent contraction within a historically large producer base
SeasonalitySeasonal supply is strongest in spring through early summer, with reduced availability later in summer and into autumn; managed systems can extend the milking season into October.
Specification
Secondary Variety- Awassi (İvesi)
- Akkaraman
- Sakız (Chios) × Akkaraman crossbreds
- Kıvırcık × Akkaraman crossbreds
- Norduz (Van province)
Physical Attributes- Perishability requires rapid cooling and hygienic handling to prevent quality loss and non-compliance at collection/acceptance.
Compositional Metrics- Example farm study (Awassi, Harran University) reported mean fat ~6.27%, protein ~5.12%, lactose ~4.81%, dry matter ~17.44% under semi-intensive conditions.
- Example regional breed study (Norduz, Van/Gürpınar) reported mean protein ~5.09% and lactose ~4.79% in mid-lactation samples, illustrating breed/period variability.
Packaging- Collection-center model: raw milk collected, filtered and cooled at milk collection centres before dispatch to processing plants; bulk chilled storage/transfer is the norm in formal channels.
Supply Chain
Value Chain- Milking → on-farm holding (clean, protected) → rapid cooling → milk collection centre (filtering/cooling) → dispatch to dairy processing plants → processing into cheeses/yogurt/butter
Temperature- Turkish Food Codex (Communiqué 2000/6) states raw milk for drinking milk not processed within 4 hours after acceptance should be cooled to ≤6°C and held until heat treatment.
- Milk-collection-centre guidance summarised in sector literature describes cooling thresholds (e.g., <8°C for daily collection; <6°C when transfer to processing exceeds 24 hours).
Shelf Life- Cold-chain breaks increase bacterial growth risk and can lead to downgrading, rejection, or forced diversion to heat-treated uses.
Freight IntensityHigh
Transport ModeLand
Risks
Animal Health HighPeste des petits ruminants (PPR) outbreaks can rapidly disrupt sheep/goat production systems and trigger movement restrictions; WOAH’s 2025 report notes eight PPR outbreaks in Türkiye between 1 January 2024 and 4 July 2024.Require suppliers to evidence participation in official veterinary controls/vaccination where applicable; diversify sourcing across regions and maintain contingency plans for movement restrictions.
Food Safety MediumRaw sheep milk is a high-risk food if handled or consumed improperly; Turkish Food Codex restricts use of milk from flocks with tuberculosis/brucellosis unless heat treated, and public guidance explicitly warns against unsupervised raw milk purchase and consumption without boiling.Use approved/registered collection and processing channels; enforce heat-treatment and hygiene SOPs; avoid informal sourcing without controls.
Regulatory Compliance MediumTime–temperature and microbiological non-compliance can force product diversion or rejection: Communiqué 2000/6 specifies cooling to ≤6°C when raw milk for drinking milk is not processed within 4 hours after acceptance and a 300,000/ml total bacteria threshold when not heat processed within 36 hours.Implement continuous temperature monitoring, validated cleaning/CIP, and pre-acceptance testing aligned to buyer/plant criteria.
Logistics MediumSheep milk collection from dispersed production areas is vulnerable to cold-chain breaks; quality deterioration increases the probability of failing microbiological thresholds and losing intended-use value.Shorten collection routes, increase on-farm/collection-centre cooling capacity, and define maximum transit times with corrective actions.
FAQ
What is the most recent reported sheep milk production volume for Türkiye?Coverage of TÜİK’s 2025 raw milk production statistics reports sheep milk production of 798,701 tonnes in 2025, down from 906,945 tonnes in 2024; sheep milk was reported as 3.7% of total raw milk in 2025.
What Turkish Food Codex handling rules most commonly drive acceptance or rejection of raw milk at processing plants?Under Turkish Food Codex Communiqué 2000/6, raw milk intended for drinking milk that is not processed within 4 hours after acceptance should be cooled to no more than 6°C and held until heat treatment, and if not heat processed within 36 hours the total bacteria count should not exceed 300,000 per ml. The same communiqué states milk from healthy animals in a flock where tuberculosis or brucellosis is detected may only be used after heat treatment.
What is the main disease-related ‘stop-the-chain’ risk for sheep milk supply in Türkiye?Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) can sharply disrupt sheep and goat production and lead to movement restrictions; WOAH’s 2025 global animal health report notes eight PPR outbreaks in Türkiye between 1 January 2024 and 4 July 2024.