While sector is preparing itself for post-pandemic world order, grain supply chain has faced a great threat due to war occurs between Ukrain and Russia which are main suppliers of grains to global market. Storage of grain becomes a national security matter because of things happened during pandemic era. Every government in the world focused on its own interests during chaos occured by Covid-19’s uncertainty. So self-sufficient policies in food supply were  keeping agenda of each government in the world. The war in Ukraine twisted the knife in the wound.

Cey Group, one of the leading port-operating group of companies in Turkey, is mainly provides services of logistic, storage, bagging and distribution for imported wheat, corn, soyabean, barley, etc. Total storage capacity of Cey Group reaches to 2 million tons by incorporating a new port in Tekirdag province of Turkey.

The company decided to build a new facility for grain storage consists of grain silos and warehauses to manage services in the Marmara Region. Altinbilek, which is main supplier of Cey Group for more than 20 years for projects built in sea ports and dry ports, supplied the storage and handling equipments, which included 6 circular silos with capacity of 30.000 tons, each 5.000 tons and 25.000 tons flat store as well as conveying systsmes with capacities of 600 tph charging to silos and 400 tph discharging from silos. Additonally, silos were equipped with side discharge chutes to apply operations with less energy consumption which sector is also under a great preassure with pandemic and war.

This strategic step of investment from the company during pandemic was highly welcomed by Altinbilek and contract was signed in last weeks of 2020. Project implementation and assembly were started on March 2021 and completed on December 2021. Despite sharp lockdowns effecting transportation, manufacturing, assembly during mentioned year, Altinbilek’s project team worked selflessly and profesionally to complete commissioning of the project.

Project was built by thinking strategic storage and logistic of imported grains to keep sustainability of sectors related to foodstuff and feedstuff in Turkey. The war in Ukrain, started a few months later than commissioning of this project, demonstrates vitality of grain storage for survival of country’s economy. So Cey Group Tekirdag Port Grain Storage Facility helps food management and food security of Turkey as well as countries in Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea.

Beside negative effects of Covid-19, we also welcomed positive effects of pandemic in food-related sectors. But the war in Ukrain totally hit supply of grains and steel. Demand for grains and steel rised while raw material supply chain were destroyed. The raw materials become more expensive and manufacturers have to create new strategies to get advantage against competitors. So Altinbilek manages crises perfectly by help of Group’s strong financial structures to create sufficient stock of raw material to manufacture grain systems.

Covid-19 and Ukrain war indicates that following days will testify new investment in countries depended on imported grains to survive local economies. National food stocks as well as grain stocks will keep priority in economics and politics of Miidle East, North Africa as well as Sub-Saharan African countries. So main demand for grain storage plants should be rising from these regions who have been suffered by starvation, malnourishment and self-insufficient. So high demand from these regions will also effect investments in grain storage plants in producer countries like the Easter Europe, Central Asia and South America.

Food security programs keep importance for national security of each country. Stocking of grains becomes more important during crises and each country has to shape  its own destiny. Grain silo manufacturers will be receiving more demand when investors get rid of first shock vawe of chaos in world economy because of the war in Ukrain while removing precautions of Covid-19 pandemic.