IPARD III is the 2021-2027 rural development grant programme co-financed by the EU and Türkiye and run by TKDK. The base rate is 50% for food processing and 60% for agricultural holdings, rising to 75% under set conditions. Support is paid after the investment is made, and each call sets its own terms.
What is IPARD III and who runs it?
IPARD is the rural development component of the EU's Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance. In Türkiye the 2021-2027 round is called IPARD III, and it is run by TKDK, the Agriculture and Rural Development Support Institution, a body affiliated to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
Funding comes from the IPARD Programme Fund, co-financed by the EU and Türkiye. The support is called the public contribution and is non-repayable, paid against investments actually carried out. The 11th and 12th calls accepted applications from all 81 provinces.
Which investments are supported?
The programme runs through measures. TKDK's 2026 calendar lists four:
- M1: physical assets of agricultural holdings, covering milk, red meat, poultry meat and egg producers.
- M3: processing and marketing of agricultural and fishery products, covering dairy, red meat, poultry meat, fishery, fruit and vegetables, and eggs.
- M6: public rural infrastructure.
- M7: farm diversification and business development.
Construction, machinery and equipment, services and visibility costs are covered. Land, existing buildings, second-hand machinery and live animals are not.
What is the IPARD III grant rate?
There is no single rate. The table reflects the 11th and 12th call guides.
| Condition | M3 Food processing | M1 Agricultural holding |
|---|---|---|
| Base rate | 50% | 60% |
| Joint investments by producer organisations | 70% | 70% |
| Certified organic farmers | Not applicable | 70% |
| Applicant under 40 | Not applicable | +5% |
| Investment in a mountain area | Not applicable | +5% |
| Waste, wastewater, renewable energy, circular economy | +10%, on those cost items only | +10%, on those cost items only |
| Maximum rate | 75% | 75% |
The rate applies to eligible expenditure, not to your total budget. The guides also specify which organisations qualify for joint investments in each sector.
What is the limit per investment?
These figures are limits on eligible expenditure, not on the grant. Anything above the ceiling is unsupported, and an investment below the floor is rejected.
| Sector | Eligible expenditure per investment (EUR) |
|---|---|
| M3 dairy, whey, meat, eggs | 30,000 to 3,000,000 |
| M3 milk collection centres | 30,000 to 1,000,000 |
| M3 fruit and vegetables | 30,000 to 1,250,000 |
| M3 fishery | 30,000 to 1,500,000 |
| M1 milk and meat | 20,000 to 750,000 |
| M1 eggs | 20,000 to 500,000 |
| M1 broiler and turkey | 20,000 to 375,000 |
| M1 goose | 20,000 to 125,000 |
There is also a cumulative ceiling per beneficiary across IPARD I, II and III: EUR 3,000,000 under M3, EUR 1,000,000 under M1, EUR 500,000 for broiler and turkey, and EUR 250,000 for goose. TKDK notes that the related modification request is with the European Commission. If approval is not completed, the existing programme text applies.
Who can apply for IPARD III?
Applicants may be natural or legal persons. The core conditions in the 11th and 12th call guides are:
- Registration in the tax system, with no outstanding tax or social security debt.
- The applicant, or the person authorised to represent a legal entity, must be at least 18 and not older than 65.
- For M3, SME status and registration with KOSGEB, Türkiye's SME agency.
- For M1, registration in the National Farmer Registry or the National Animal Registry.
- Keeping the investment operating for 5 years after the final payment.
Public legal entities and companies with more than 25% public ownership are excluded, with chambers of agriculture as the exception. One project is allowed per call, and at most 4 investments per programme period. A new application requires the final payment on any running investment. On leased property, the lease must run for at least 5 years after the final payment.
The documents we reviewed contain no rule specific to foreign-owned companies, so test your structure against the conditions above. Our foreign investor guide covers the wider setup.
How does the application process work?
- TKDK publishes the call notice and the guide for that call.
- You complete the online application and deliver the package to the TKDK provincial office within the published dates.
- Applications are pre-ranked. You have 10 working days from publication to object to your score.
- The package is checked administratively and technically. Missing documents get at most 5 working days.
- Projects are ranked and selected until the call budget runs out.
- You sign the contract within 5 working days of receiving the invitation.
- You implement the investment: up to 9 months without construction, up to 18 months with it.
- You submit a payment claim, TKDK checks on site, and payment follows.
Two points catch people out. Starting eligible spending before the contract leads to rejection. And the investor funds the work first. Contracts with a single instalment can request an advance of up to 50% of the public contribution, secured by a guarantee worth 110% of the advance.
Does every eligible project get funded?
No. TKDK's guide says plainly that a fully compliant project can go unfunded once the budget runs out. In the 12th call, requests reached about EUR 61 million against a EUR 30 million budget, and TKDK announced that applications scoring below 55 would be rejected without review. That is why it helps to look at scoring while the project is still being designed. See our grants and projects service for that work.
When is the next IPARD call?
The 11th call (M3) closed on 20.07.2026 and the 12th call (M1) on 07.09.2026. In a notice dated 30.09.2026, TKDK postponed the M7 call and said it plans to take applications within this year. The calendar is for information only: each measure's call notice is what binds, and TKDK reserves the right to change it. Read the current notice and guide on tkdk.gov.tr before you apply.
The Grant Path tool shows which programmes may suit your project, and the KKYDP guide covers the national alternative.
Frequently asked questions
Is an IPARD grant repayable?
The public contribution is non-repayable for investments actually carried out. If obligations are not met, for example the investment is not maintained for 5 years after the final payment, the contract and guide provisions apply.
Does IPARD III pay a EUR 3 million grant?
No. EUR 3,000,000 is the eligible expenditure ceiling per investment for M3 dairy, meat and eggs, and the cumulative ceiling per beneficiary. The grant is a conditional percentage of eligible expenditure. Fruit and vegetables and fishery have lower ceilings.
Can an existing business apply?
Both existing and new businesses can apply, but the permitted type of investment depends on the sector. Some meat processing activities, for example, are limited to modernisation. Check capacity conditions in the guide for the call.
Can I run more than one IPARD project?
Only one application per call. At most 4 investments can be supported in the 2021-2027 period, and the final payment on the previous investment must be complete before a new application. Ownership links are checked too.
Does a high ranking score guarantee funding?
No. TKDK states that a high ranking score does not mean entitlement to support. The application must also pass the checks and fall within the budget.
Official sources
- TKDK, IPARD III 11. Başvuru Çağrı İlanı (M3)
- TKDK, IPARD III 12. Başvuru Çağrı İlanı (M1)
- TKDK, 11. Çağrı Başvuru Çağrı Rehberi, M3 (Versiyon 11.0)
- TKDK, 12. Çağrı Başvuru Çağrı Rehberi, M1 (Versiyon 12.0)
- TKDK, IPARD III 2026 Yılı Çağrı Takvimi
- TKDK, 12. çağrı ön inceleme ve sıralama puanları duyurusu (25.09.2026)
- TKDK, M7 çağrı ilanı tarihinde değişiklik duyurusu (30.09.2026)
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Programme terms can change, so check the current official text before applying.
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