In coming days, the Turkish Government will inform the ministry on the import conditions, as well as set the volume to be imported.

The Brazilian government has been unable to estimate the market potential in Turkey. According to the Brazilian Association of Meat Exporters (Abiec), the opening of the Turkish market is an attempt to contain rising prices in the local market.

The president of the Brazilian Poultry Union (Ubabef), Francisco Turra, believes that Turkey can become an important market for Brazilian poultry.

"This is a country with great potential for consumption," he said.

According to Mr Turra, Brazil currently exports poultry meat to Turkey indirectly via neighboring countries, like Iraq. The organisation has no numbers on the Turkish market potential.

"The importers have already started moving to buy directly from Brazil," he said. Beef should not have significant impact in the short term, but it can make for flexibility in negotiations between Brazil and the European Union (EU), since Turkey is a candidate to join the EU, evaluates Otavio Cançado , director of ABIEC.

Beef imports originating in Brazil were banned by Turkish authorities in 2002 due to outbreaks of diseases in the country, such as FMD. Despite the suspension of the ban on direct imports from Brazil, the two countries are busy formulating an International Health Certificate, says Mr Cancado.

Currently, import permits are issued by the importing country to Brazil for each shipment to that country, a requirement which in practice just makes it impossible for trade between the two countries.