Grain inspection
Grain is one of Turkey's main bulk imports, discharged at Mersin, Iskenderun, Bandirma, the Izmit Bay, Tekirdag and Samsun. It is a food and feed cargo, so on top of weight and grade it is checked for insects, toxins and contamination.
Before loading: the holds
Grain needs grain-clean holds: no previous cargo, loose rust, insects or odour. A hold condition survey before loading is usual, and a hold that fails it is cleaned and inspected again. See the hold condition guide.
Sampling and tests
Samples are drawn throughout discharge and divided for buyer, seller and umpire. Depending on the commodity and contract, the laboratory measures:
- Moisture and test weight (hectolitre weight).
- Foreign matter, broken and damaged kernels, and other grains.
- Protein for wheat, oil content for oilseeds.
- Mycotoxins such as aflatoxin and DON, and for corn and soybeans often GMO status.
Insects and fumigation
Live insects found on arrival can mean fumigation before or during discharge. Ships fumigated in transit must be ventilated and declared gas free before anyone enters the holds. The surveyor records the fumigation certificate and the gas readings.
Plant health checks
Imported grain is also subject to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's plant health controls, with its own sampling. These are separate from the commercial inspection, but the two usually happen on the same call and should be coordinated so discharge is not held up.
Who can inspect
Grain and oilseeds fall under customs chapters 10 to 12. Portiva shows on every port page which companies hold these chapters.
Finding a surveyor
Choose the port on Portiva to see every authorized company there. To get quotes, send one request and we pass it to companies working in that port. Survey companies abroad looking for a local surveyor to attend on their behalf can use the attending surveyor request.