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04 December 202512 min reading
IAOM MEA maps the new wheat world
Record wheat crops, rising exporter stocks and a fading China import boom mean that the world is not short of grain, but millers cannot afford to be complacent. At IAOM MEA in Jeddah, analysts showed how the real battleground has shifted to protein, logistics, origin flexibility and farmer behaviour, as the Black Sea, the Americas and the Southern Hemisphere fight for a roughly fixed slice of global demand.
03 December 20257 min reading
Saudi Arabia is emerging as a new grain hub for the Red Sea and Gulf
At IAOM MEA 2025 in Jeddah, a high-profile panel of millers and grain traders explored how Saudi Arabia’s new grain architecture is quietly positioning the Kingdom as a potential grain and food security hub for the Red Sea and Gulf region.
03 December 20258 min reading
Bühler CTO calls for a new era in milling and food innovation
At IAOM MEA 2025 in Jeddah, Bühler CTO Dr. Ian Roberts argues that protein diversification, AI and industrial-scale upcycling will be key to reshaping the global food system and warns that the world will not remain within planetary boundaries unless it changes.
24 November 20253 min reading
Egypt builds its grain fortress with a new silo network
Egypt, world’s largest wheat importer, is rolling out an ambitious silo expansion program to shore up food security in an increasingly volatile global market.
Cover Story
COVER STORY
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28 November 202532 min reading
Women’s voices from the grain and milling value chain
For decades, the global grain and milling economy has been framed in the language of acres, tonnes, margins and risk. What has often remained invisible is the talent shaping those numbers from the inside: the women who operate mills and laboratories, lead trading desks, run farmer networks, manage HR and training, and represent their companies on the international stage.
28 November 20253 min reading
Women in Milling: Building connection and visibility across the industry
International Association of Operative Millers (IAOM) champions inclusion and visibility through its Women in Milling (WiM) initiative, launched at a luncheon at the IAOM Annual Conference & Expo (ACE) in 2019.
28 November 20253 min reading
What is WIA and why is it important
Established in 2012 in the USA and first run in New Orleans, The Women in Agribusiness Summit (WIA) is the premier and most significant global event dedicated to advancing women in the agricultural sector by fostering professional development, industry connections, and strategic insights that drive individual career growth and business success.
26 November 202517 min reading
Women leading change across agriculture’s value chain
Women are increasingly shaping the future of the grain industry, stepping into leadership roles across production, trade, processing, technology, and policy. Once on the margins of a traditionally male-dominated sector, they are now driving innovation, promoting sustainability, and strengthening global food systems.
Interview
INTERVIEW
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01 December 202510 min reading
Building on 240 years of legacy: Loulis’ plan to lead Europe in food ingredients
Building on more than 240 years of milling heritage, Loulis Food Ingredients is transforming a historic Greek family business into a modern European ingredients powerhouse.
13 October 20255 min reading
Andrey Sizov warns of complacency in global grain trade
Markets are mispricing grain risk. Tight wheat balances, shifting flows and a slower China will shape 2025/26, says Andrey Sizov, Managing Director of SovEcon.
03 September 20258 min reading
Russia deepens its grain presence in Africa to meet growing demand
Since the onset of the marketing year in July, the Black Sea wheat market has faced significant challenges - delayed harvests, slow exports, and logistical issues have hindered price reductions compared to previous seasons.
07 August 202522 min reading
Mastering milling’s new era: Global trends, digital tools and strategic insights
Fluctuating wheat origins, quality concerns, market volatility, and margin pressures demand smarter tools in the grain milling industry. Fabien Varagnac—a respected milling consultant with nearly two decades of hands-on experience—explains how digitalization and AI are reshaping every dimension of flour production, from sourcing and quality control to operational agility and risk management.
Article
ARTICLE
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03 December 20255 min reading
The pulse of opportunity: How the Middle East can become the global epicenter of pulses trade through investments and innovation
The global food system stands at a crossroads. As demand for sustainable protein soars, pulses—beans, chickpeas, lentils, and peas—emerge as modern solutions to humanity’s most pressing nutritional challenges. Yet the most compelling chapter in this transformation is unfolding across a region uniquely positioned to capture its future: the Middle East.
28 November 202513 min reading
Grain markets in a geopolitical chess game
Global Grain Geneva 2025 revealed that even as record harvests and ample stocks suggest a “comfortable” balance, the real battle for grain is being fought on other boards: geopolitics, finance and technology.
07 November 20255 min reading
From scarcity to sustainability: The tech revolution in MENA agriculture
In a region where farming is a battle against drought, heat, and scarcity, innovation has become the only path to survival. From gene editing to biologicals and AI-driven agriculture, technology is redefining how the Middle East and North Africa grow food—and how the milling industry secures its future.
06 November 20258 min reading
Conquering grain trading in the digital age: Skills for a VUCAD world
In a volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous, and digital (VUCAD) world, the traders who can speak both the language of commodities and the language of data , who understand the mechanics of financing as well as the geopolitics of governments — from fragile contexts like Syria’s re-entry into SWIFT, to sudden laws and export bans, to tariff and trade war shocks from the U.S., to forward-looking hubs like the UAE — will not just adapt to the future, they will shape it.
Country Profile
COUNTRY PROFILE
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03 December 20256 min reading
Saudi Arabia’s corn map 2025/26: Argentina sets benchmark
Corn powers Saudi Arabia’s feed complex — and Argentina is firmly in the driver’s seat. As demand expands and domestic production stays negligible, Argentina dominates the Kingdom’s import flows, leaving Brazil, the U.S., and Ukraine to compete for whatever space is left. This analysis unpacks the outlook for 2025/26 and show why Argentina’s advantage isn’t cyclical but structural — and what room, if any, remains for alternative suppliers.
05 November 20255 min reading
The German milling industry: Structural change from industrialization to the present
Germany’s milling industry has undergone one of the deepest structural transformations in Europe. From tens of thousands of artisanal mills to a handful of high-capacity industrial sites, the sector now balances modernization, consolidation, and tradition — ensuring supply security while adapting to new sustainability and regulatory challenges.
05 September 202513 min reading
Russia’s flour milling industry: Challenges opportunities and future outlook
With one of the world’s strongest grain bases and deep milling traditions, Russia’s flour industry is entering a new phase. From export expansion to quality upgrades and specialized products, the sector is redefining its role at home and abroad.
07 August 20257 min reading
South Africa: A grain powerhouse in a challenging landscape
Amid economic headwinds and climate volatility, South Africa emerges as a resilient grain powerhouse at the tip of the continent—driving regional trade, expanding corn exports, and anchoring Southern Africa’s food security.
Technology Platform
TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM
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01 December 20258 min reading
SIMEZA turns 50: From Spanish silo pioneer to global storage partner
Celebrating its 50th anniversary in Zaragoza, Spanish silo specialist SIMEZA has evolved from a local steel pioneer into a global storage partner for millers and grain handlers on five continents.
13 February 20255 min reading
The Future of Milling: Smarter, Greener, More Efficient
“The modernization of milling technologies represents a strategic lever for a more efficient and sustainable industry,” Luigi Nalon, CEO of Omas Industries, told Miller Magazine.
12 August 20249 min reading
Adapting grain management strategies to meet a changing world
In an industry where innovation meets necessity, CESCO EPC GmbH stands out as a model of invention and resilience.
10 June 20244 min reading
Growing global demand fuels innovation in grain logistics
In an interview during the recent IDMA Istanbul Expo, Mehmet Büyükzeren, the General Manager of Yılmaz Kardeş Hydraulic Machinery Industry Co., shares his insights on the critical role of logistics in the global grain trade and the increasing demand for advanced unloading platforms.
Market Analysis
MARKET ANALYSIS
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28 November 20256 min reading
Global cereals markets: Record supply, demand dynamics, and the growing weight of geopolitics
The 2025/26 cereals landscape combines abundant supply with historically high demand, while the market’s most significant risks stem not from fields but from economics and geopolitics. Understanding this balance will be key to navigating the months ahead.
05 November 202511 min reading
Tenders out, traders in: How Egypt is rewiring its wheat supply chain
Few countries shape global wheat trade like Egypt. Still the world’s largest wheat importer — buying around 12–13 MMT annually — Egypt remains the ultimate benchmark for MENA grain trade, with every procurement reform in Cairo sending ripples through global markets.
13 October 20256 min reading
From fields to ports: How logistics and energy costs reshape grain competitiveness
Record harvests alone no longer guarantee competitive grain prices. For millers, shipping routes, freight indices, energy costs, and climate-driven disruptions now weigh as heavily as yields in shaping margins. Logistics has become the true battleground of grain competitiveness.
13 October 20256 min reading
Grains market outlook 2025/26: Big harvests, with diverging market trends
Another record harvest is expected for the global grains market in 2025/26, however, sentiment is far from uniformly bearish. Although overall supply and demand balances point to comfortable availabilities, each grain is showing its own dynamics.
Idma Today
IDMA TODAY
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11 June 20245 min reading
IDMA Today and BBM Mutfak bring dynamism and flavors to IDMA
At IDMA Istanbul, the industry witnessed the debut of two initiatives by Parantez Media:
09 May 20243 min reading
TABADER hosts 5th Doyens Award Night
Simultaneously organized with IDMA Istanbul, the fifth edition of TABADER’s now customary Doyens Award Ceremony took place on May 2nd at Wow Hotel.
08 May 20244 min reading
IDMA Istanbul hosts pulse of grain processing industry with 10,000 visitors from 120 countries
The global grain processing industry convened in Istanbul. The domestic sector, specializing in flour, grain, feed, pulses production equipment, and milling machinery, crucially exporting 90 percent of its output, gathered with over 10,000 professionals from 120 countries at the 10th IDMA Istanbul.
04 May 20242 min reading
Turkish-Moroccan flour industry bond strengthened at IDMA Expo
In an exclusive interview during the IDMA Expo in Istanbul, Moulay Abdelkadir Alalaoui, President of the Moroccan Flour Milling Federation (FNM), provides a comprehensive overview of the state of flour milling in Morocco and its relationship with Turkey.

BLOG

Varna hosts Grain Academy with a focus on global and Balkan markets

22 August 20253 min reading

Grain Academy, the leading grain and oilseed forum in the Balkans and Black Sea region, returns for its ninth edition in Varna. The event has established itself since 2016 as a key meeting point for agribusiness professionals in the Balkans and beyond, offering insights into global market dynamics with a strong regional focus.

Grain Academy 2025 will once again bring together producers, traders, analysts, logistics experts, and industry associations from more than 25 countries. Speakers will join from all countries in the Balkans, exporters from Black Sea and destination markets from Mediterranean, Middle East and North Africa.

After several turbulent seasons marked by global disruptions and market uncertainty, 2025 brings new questions for industry players: How do you plan in “calm” market conditions? Which strategies can give you an advantage in a highly competitive environment with low market dynamics?

BRIDGING GLOBAL AND REGIONAL PERSPECTIVES

This year’s Grain Academy agenda spans from global market dynamics to regional and national developments, offering a comprehensive view of the sector:

Panel 1 – Global Perspectives
Titled “Navigating Trade in a Time of Abundance. Market trends and S&D for 2025,” the opening session will examine the key factors shaping the 2025/26 season. Discussions will cover global climate patterns and their impact on yields, vegetable oil consumption trends in Europe, evolving Black Sea trade flows, and the influence of Middle Eastern demand on price dynamics. Experts from the UK, Spain, Ukraine, and Jordan will share their insights.

Panel 2 – Regional Outlook
Under the theme “Balkan countries – specifics of the region and opportunities,” the second panel will focus on market specifics, trade flows, logistics, and post-harvest realities in the Balkans. Leading trading companies from Bulgaria, Serbia, Romania, Turkey, and Greece will take part in the discussion.

Panel 3 – National Focus
Concluding the day, “The Bulgarian Grain Industry – A Strategic Dialogue” will, for the third consecutive year, bring together farmers, processors, traders, and policymakers. The goal is to foster constructive dialogue on the current challenges and future direction of Bulgaria’s grain sector, while generating actionable solutions from the ground up.

AN INTERNATIONAL MEETING POINT

Organized by AgroPortal and Agricore, with the support of leading Balkans’ industry associations, Grain Academy has become a key meeting place for the regional grain trade. Each year, the forum attracts analysts, traders, processors, farmers, brokers, logistics operators, and industry representatives from more than 25 countries.

Date: 30 OCTOBER 2025
Venue: INTERNATIONAL Hotel Golden Sands | Varna | Bulgaria

Info & registrations: grain-academy.com

Contacts: info@grain-academy.com | 📞 + 359 88 499 4559