Held in Moscow, IDMA Russia 2025 brought together the power of academia and industry in the field of grain processing. The international exhibition, which drew strong participation from Turkish and Far Eastern brands that have a deep understanding of the current dynamics shaping the Russian market, known as the world’s wheat export champion, welcomed visitors from various regions of the country and neighboring nations. With the “Miller-2025” conference organized by the leading stakeholders of the Russian flour sector, IDMA Russia also gained an academic dimension, serving as a strong rehearsal for the milling industry ahead of the upcoming IDMA Istanbul 2026 event at Istanbul Expo Center (IFM).
For the second time this year, IDMA Russia brought together the Russian flour sector and international milling technology brands, becoming a closely watched platform for the grain processing industry. Taking place at the Crocus Expo International Exhibition Center in Moscow on September 25–27, 2025, IDMA Russia 2025 turned into a stage for the Turkish and Far Eastern technology giants. Visitors coming to the exhibition mainly from Turkey, the Far East, and former Soviet countries—as well as from across the vast geography of the Russian Federation—had the opportunity to hold fruitful meetings with participating companies showcasing their latest-generation products and services in areas ranging from turnkey projects and spare parts to grain storage and automation. The latest trends in milling, modernization solutions, energy efficiency, and quality assurance systems were also displayed at the booths. Compound feed technologies were likewise presented to Russian producers.
RUSSIAN MARKET: A NEW ERA AT THE HEART OF MILLING
Russia, one of the world’s strongest grain producers, is consolidating its position as one of the global centers of the flour and grain processing industry thanks to its deep-rooted milling traditions. With wheat production ranging between 80 and 100 million tons annually, the country ranks among the world’s top producers after China, India, and the EU. Producing 9.9 million tons of flour in 2024, Russia has reached full self-sufficiency in domestic consumption while increasing its exports by over 460% in the past two years to reach 1.17 million tons. Afghanistan, Iraq, Turkey, China, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan are among the main buyers of Russian flour.
This growing export potential brings along machinery modernization and higher quality standards. Today, Russia’s milling sector is undergoing restructuring through the rise of large integrated facilities, while Turkish and Far Eastern manufacturers are rapidly increasing their share in production technologies. The need for modernization and export-oriented vision makes Russia not only a massive grain producer but also a strategic market for regional technology investments. This is precisely what IDMA Russia is built upon—the promising realities of this market.
‘RUSSIA IS A KEY COUNTRY FOR OUR INDUSTRY’
The opening ceremony of IDMA Russia began with a speech by M. Ali Kalkan, Chairman of HAGE Group and CEO of IDMA. Greeting not only the participants and visitors of IDMA Russia but also those attending the International Business Conference organized simultaneously by the International Industrial Academy and the Russian Union of Flour Mills and Cereal Plants, Kalkan said in his opening remarks: “Russia is one of the most important countries for our industry. Therefore, it’s no coincidence that IDMA, which has outgrown its shell and takes a new step each year in its internationalization process, has now set its course for Moscow after Istanbul. As one of the leading countries in wheat and, more broadly, grain production, Russia will continue to see IDMA Russia play its role responsibly in its pursuit of value-added products.”
IDMA RUSSIA WINS FULL MARKS FROM EXHIBITORS
The opinions of IDMA Russia participants revealed full consensus regarding the trajectory of the Russian milling industry and the gap this exhibition has successfully filled. In his statement to event officials, Zeki Demirtaşoğlu, Chairman of the Association of Mill and Sector Machinery Manufacturers (DESMÜD), said: “Since Russia has been shifting from raw material sales to semi-finished and finished product sales, there is a need for flour mills, steel silos, feed factories, corn flour plants, pulse flour facilities, and the Turkish machinery to be used in these plants. Politically as well, they have realized that, rather than relying on the West, they can trust Turkey’s industrial sector, which manufactures at European quality levels and is right next door. Russia is a huge market and our neighbor. It has immense value for us. In this sense, IDMA Russia provides tremendous service to the milling industry. On this occasion, I would like to thank HAGE Fair, Mr. Ali Kalkan, and his team.” After sharing his overall assessment on behalf of the Turkish milling industry, Demirtaşoğlu added: “On behalf of my group of companies, considering the political conjuncture in which Russia currently finds itself, we are very pleased to participate in IDMA Russia. The exhibition met our expectations. I believe the Russian leg of the IDMA fair chain must definitely continue. We will certainly participate in the future editions of IDMA Russia.”
A participant offering engineering solutions for the flour and feed milling sectors from Konya to the world also expressed satisfaction regarding IDMA Russia. The company representative said on the third day of the exhibition: “Considering the current circumstances in Russia, we can say it has been quite a dynamic exhibition. We established highly beneficial connections for our company. Given Russia’s policy of focusing on final products, we are aware that its potential will increase further in the near future. We will continue to participate in IDMA Russia in the coming years.”
‘BEFORE IDMA, RUSSIA HAD NO FAIR DEDICATED TO THIS SECTOR’
A milling technology company from Ankara shared the following remarks: “This is our second time participating in IDMA Russia. We were very pleased with the quality of the visitor profile. Our guests knew exactly why they were here and what they wanted to accomplish. Through this event, HAGE Fair provides great value to the industry because before IDMA, there was no specialized exhibition in Russia addressing flour mills. We believe they have organized a very successful event. We will also be here at the next fair.”
A technology company based in Çorum that produces turnkey milling projects drew attention to the visitor profile of the fair. Speaking to event organizers, the company representative stated, “This exhibition brought us together with the country’s top-level producers. I believe there will be excellent events in Russia in the future as well.”
The general manager of a Turkish packaging company—ranked among the world’s top ten in its field—emphasized that they aim to expand into new segments of the Russian market, expressing gratitude to the IDMA Russia officials for their service and support in this regard, and said they look forward to collaborating again in future IDMA projects.
The general manager of a Gaziantep-based brand preparing to celebrate its 50th anniversary stated that they have long-term goals for Russia and that IDMA Russia met their expectations. The experienced businessman added that they will continue to participate in future exhibitions.
MILLER-2025 CONFERENCE: A MEETING OF ACADEMIA AND INDUSTRY
Alongside the wide range of technologies and products showcased to visitors, IDMA Russia also added an academic depth to the sector. The 23rd International Business Conference “Miller-2025,” held on September 24–27, 2025, was organized in cooperation between the International Industrial Academy and the Russian Union of Flour Mills and Cereal Plants. The event, sponsored by IDMA Russia, was opened by Vyacheslav Butkovsky, President of the International Industrial Academy and ICC (International Association for Cereal Science and Technology) academician.
The International Business Conference held at the IDMA Russia fairground was attended by 276 executives and experts from 22 regions of Russia and 7 countries. Participants discussed the current state and future opportunities of the sector, focusing on key themes such as modernization, quality assurance, and human resources.
RUSSIAN STAKEHOLDERS PRESENT AWARD TO IDMA
In addition to academic discussions, the conference also featured a “best quality product” competition. In the program evaluating 55 product samples from 12 Russian flour and grain enterprises, participating companies received gold and silver medals for their products representing superior quality. The achievements of the Russian flour industry in maintaining its traditions and achieving high-quality production were crowned with awards.
Besides, a plaque and award were presented to IDMA CEO M. Ali Kalkan for his contributions to the event, which brought together leading academics and producers from the flour, feed, and bakery sectors. In his thank-you speech, Kalkan said, “It is very important to evaluate trends correctly in the business world. Looking at the future of the grain processing industry, I am fully confident that we will continue to achieve great things together with our Russian friends.”