IDMA 2026 will open its doors at Istanbul Expo Center on June 25-27, bringing together nearly 200 exhibitors from 20 countries and visitors from 120 countries across the grain and food processing value chain. This year, the exhibition will be strengthened by the IDMA Global Grain & Milling Forum, a high-level platform designed to connect grain trade, milling technologies, food security and strategic market intelligence under the theme “Resilient Trade, Innovative Milling.”

IDMA 2026 will take place on June 25–27, 2026, at Istanbul Expo Center, bringing together the global grain and food processing industries in Istanbul. The exhibition will host  around 180 exhibiting companies from 20 countries and welcome professional visitors from 120 countries, offering a comprehensive platform for milling machinery, grain processing technologies, feed, pasta, biscuit, pulses, rice, corn and bakery-related solutions.

Organized since 2005, IDMA has developed into one of the most specialized international meeting points for the grain and pulses processing industries. Its 11th edition comes at a time when millers, processors, technology suppliers and investors are rethinking production models under the pressure of food security concerns, energy costs, digitalization, automation, labour shortages, sustainability targets and shifting global trade flows.

For millers and grain processors, IDMA 2026 will provide an opportunity to explore new technologies, meet suppliers and follow the investment trends shaping the future of the industry.

A SPECIALIZED EXHIBITION ACROSS THE GRAIN PROCESSING VALUE CHAIN

IDMA’s strength lies in its highly specialized scope. The exhibition covers flour milling, feed milling, corn, semolina, rice and bulghur processing machinery, as well as technologies for pulses, pasta, biscuits and related food processing industries. This gives IDMA a broad but focused identity across the grain and food processing value chain.

The 2026 edition will bring together equipment manufacturers, automation companies, storage and handling solution providers, laboratory and quality-control technology suppliers, packaging companies and food processing technology firms. For visitors, the expo will offer an opportunity to compare solutions across multiple segments of the industry, from raw material handling and milling to processing, energy efficiency, automation, product quality and final packaging.

This broad technology scope is especially important at a time when the global processing industry is moving from capacity expansion alone toward smarter, more efficient and more flexible production systems. Mills and food processors are no longer investing only to increase output. They are also investing to reduce energy use, improve traceability, strengthen food safety, manage labour shortages, diversify products and build more resilient operations.

TECHNOLOGY, EFFICIENCY AND FOOD SECURITY UNDER ONE ROOF

The global flour and grain processing industries are undergoing rapid transformation. Automation, digitalization, traceability, energy efficiency, sustainability and food safety are becoming central to competitiveness. In many markets, investment decisions are now shaped not only by capacity needs, but also by efficiency, food safety, flexibility and product quality.

The global flour market is no longer driven only by volume, but increasingly by adaptability, quality, traceability and technological sophistication. With more than 12,000 industrial flour mills worldwide and approximately 570 million tonnes of wheat milled annually, the industry’s scale and complexity underline the need for smarter technologies and stronger collaboration.

This gives IDMA 2026 a clear role. Visitors will be able to see technologies designed for smarter milling, more efficient processing, improved storage and handling, lower energy consumption, better quality control, and more integrated production lines.

For countries investing in food security and domestic processing capacity, these technologies are becoming strategic. Building resilient food systems requires not only access to grain, but also the ability to process, store, transport and package it efficiently. This is where IDMA becomes particularly relevant.

ISTANBUL AS A STRATEGIC MEETING POINT

Istanbul gives IDMA a strategic relevance that goes beyond its role as an exhibition venue. Türkiye sits immediately south of the Black Sea, one of the world’s most important grain export regions, and immediately north of the Middle East and North Africa, among the world’s most import-dependent wheat markets.

This geography gives Türkiye a dual role. It is a major grain processor and flour exporter, but also a bridge between surplus and deficit regions. It connects Black Sea supply, Mediterranean logistics, Middle Eastern consumption, African demand growth and Central Asian trade routes. In this sense, Istanbul is not just a venue, but a key part of IDMA’s strategic positioning.

Türkiye’s own industrial strength adds further weight to this positioning. The country remains one of the world’s leading flour and pasta exporters and has built a highly dynamic milling and grain processing industry. 

For international visitors, IDMA offers direct access to one of the most active regions in grain processing, milling technologies and food industry investment.

THE FORUM ADDS A STRATEGIC DIMENSION TO IDMA 2026

One of the most important features of this year’s exhibition will be the IDMA Global Grain & Milling Forum, which will be held on June 25–26, 2026, alongside the fair, under the theme “Resilient Trade, Innovative Milling.”

The forum is designed to bring together senior executives, grain traders, millers, processors, policymakers, analysts, technology providers and institutional representatives for two days of high-level discussion, market intelligence and strategic networking. It will focus on global grain trade, food security, smart and sustainable milling technologies, feed demand, pasta and bakery trends, and innovations in grain storage, handling and logistics. 

By hosting the forum within the wider IDMA exhibition environment, the event will connect two dimensions that are often discussed separately: the market forces shaping grain flows and the technologies shaping how grain is processed, stored and converted into food and feed.

This combination makes the forum one of the most important additions to IDMA 2026. It will give visitors and exhibitors an opportunity not only to see technologies on the exhibition floor, but also to understand the market, policy and food security trends that will influence future investment decisions.

A STRATEGIC FORUM FOR A MORE COMPLEX GRAIN MARKET

The forum comes at a moment when global grain markets are increasingly influenced by factors beyond production and consumption. Geopolitical tensions, freight disruption, climate volatility, energy and fertilizer costs, financing constraints, changing import strategies and food security policies are all shaping commercial decisions across the value chain.

Recent market discussions have shown that even when global grain supplies appear comfortable, the trade environment can remain fragile. Low margins, input-cost pressure, freight volatility, tighter financing conditions and policy uncertainty are forcing companies to rethink procurement, storage, processing and risk management strategies.

This is the context in which the IDMA Global Grain & Milling Forum will take place. Its agenda reflects a central question for the industry: how can grain and milling businesses build resilience when trade flows are affected not only by supply and demand, but also by geopolitics, logistics, finance, technology and public policy?

HIGH-LEVEL EXPERTS TO JOIN THE FORUM

The forum will bring together a strong line-up of senior experts, institutional representatives and industry leaders from Türkiye and abroad, adding further weight to its role as a strategic platform for the grain, milling and food processing sectors.

Among the international speakers and senior experts expected to join the forum are Gustavo Idígoras, President of CIARA-CEC, representing Argentina’s edible oil and cereal export industries;  Ahmet Guldal, General Manager of Turkish Grain Board; Gerard Masila, Executive Director of the Eastern Africa Grain Council; Ali Kırali, General Manager of the Turkish Mercantile Exchange; Ahmed El-Sebaie, General Manager of Egyptian Swiss Group for Pasta and Milling; Alexander Karavaytsev, Senior Economist at the International Grains Council; Deepak Pareek, Founder of HnyB Tech; Joseph Glauber, Senior Research Fellow Emeritus at the International Food Policy Research Institute and former USDA Chief Economist; and Aykut Göymen, Chairman of the Turkish Pasta Manufacturers’ Association.

The programme will also feature leading names from the milling technology, automation, feed, pasta, storage and commodity trade sectors, including Fabien Varagnac, independent milling technology consultant; Ali Maqboul, CEO of ASM Process Automation; Prof. Mustafa Bayram, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Gaziantep University and President of TABADER; and Pedro Nonay, global agri-commodity trade expert and former EMEA CEO of Louis Dreyfus Company. 

KALKAN: “IDMA 2026 WILL REFLECT THE FUTURE OF GRAIN PROCESSING”

M. Ali Kalkan, Chairman of HAGE Group and organizer of IDMA exhibitions, said IDMA 2026 and the forum together reflect the changing needs of the global grain and food processing industries. “IDMA has always been more than a trade fair. Since 2005, it has developed into a meeting point where technology, trade, investment and knowledge come together for the future of food,” Kalkan said. “Today, the grain and milling industries are operating in a much more complex environment. Geopolitical tensions, climate risks, volatile freight corridors, energy costs, financing constraints, sustainability targets and food security concerns are all changing the way companies plan, invest and compete.”

M. Ali Kalkan, Chairman of HAGE Group

Kalkan said the 11th edition of IDMA will highlight the industry’s transition toward smarter, more efficient and more resilient processing systems. “Our exhibitors do not only present machinery. They present solutions for efficiency, quality, automation, energy saving, storage, traceability and product diversification. These are the issues that will define the future of milling and food processing,” he said.

He added that the decision to organize the IDMA Global Grain & Milling Forum alongside the exhibition reflects the need to connect technology with market intelligence and strategic dialogue. “The forum adds a new dimension to IDMA. It will help the sector discuss where grain flows are heading, how food security policies are changing, which regions will drive demand, and which technologies can improve competitiveness. This is exactly the kind of platform our industry needs,” Kalkan said.

Kalkan also emphasized Istanbul’s role as a natural meeting point for the global grain value chain. “Türkiye is located between major grain-exporting origins and key demand regions. To the north, we have the Black Sea, one of the world’s most strategic grain corridors. To the south, we have the Middle East and Africa, where food demand, feed demand and processing investments continue to grow. Istanbul is therefore not only a host city; it is a natural meeting point for the global grain and food processing industries.”

Inviting sector stakeholders to take part in IDMA 2026, Kalkan said the future of the industry will be shaped by cooperation as much as technology. “IDMA 2026 is an invitation to the entire sector to come together, see the latest technologies, build new partnerships and discuss the future of food. With the exhibition and the forum together, Istanbul will host one of the most comprehensive gatherings of the global grain and milling industries,” he said.