Turkish authorities investigate 25 companies in starch-based sugar sector

Authorities in Turkey have launched a major investigation into the starch-based sugar (NBŞ) sector, targeting 25 companies across several provinces including Istanbul, Kocaeli, Ankara, and Gaziantep. The operation follows reports from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the Tax Inspection Board regarding illegal production and fraudulent invoicing.

Key allegations include companies bypassing production quotas and mislabeling starch-based sugar products as other substances, such as maltodextrin, glucose, or fructose, to evade regulations. Several prominent firms listed in the Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO) rankings are implicated, including Sunar Mısır, Tat Nişasta, Beşan Nişasta, Ak Nişasta, and Seyidoğlu Gıda.

Specific accusations against major players include: - Tat Nişasta is alleged to have used bypass lines and hidden servers to conceal unregistered production and purchased corn without invoices. - Sunar Mısır is accused of procuring corn illegally and masking revenues through foundations. - Ak Nişasta and Beşan Nişasta are accused of selling products under the name of maltodextrin to circumvent quotas. - Karamehmetler Gıda is accused of issuing crystal sugar invoices for the sale of starch-based sugar.