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Speaking at the IDMA Global Grain & Milling Forum, Gustavo Idígoras, President of CIARA-CEC, highlighted the growing role of Argentina and the wider Mercosur region in global grain, oilseed and by-product trade. Argentina produces around 160 million tonnes of cereals and oilseeds annually and has the capacity to export nearly 120 million tonnes, positioning the country as a major contributor to global food security.

East Africa’s food security increasingly depends on whether grain can move safely, efficiently and affordably across trade corridors, Gerald Makau Masila, Executive Director of the Eastern Africa Grain Council, said at the IDMA Global Grain & Milling Forum in Istanbul. Masila said the region imports 90–95% of the wheat it consumes and remains highly exposed to disruptions in the Black Sea, Red Sea and Suez routes. He also underlined major opportunities for Türkiye and Africa to deepen cooperation in milling technology, flour, pasta, grain handling and investment.

The fifth session of the IDMA Global Grain & Milling Forum explored the future of the pasta and bakery industries through the lens of changing consumer expectations, AI-supported production technologies, clean label solutions, enzyme applications, functional products and sustainability. Alongside the strong production infrastructure and export capacity of the Turkish pasta industry, the panel also highlighted the sector’s need to combat misinformation and establish more effective communication with consumers.

Organized concurrently with the IDMA Istanbul exhibition, the IDMA Grain and Milling Forum commenced under the theme "Resilient Trade and Innovative Milling," bringing together global and local industry leaders in Istanbul. Hosting high-value sessions over two full days, the forum will address the strategic importance of grain, food supply security, 2026 yield expectations, and Turkey's global leadership in technology exports.

Turkish Grain Board (TMO) Chairman and General Manager Ahmet Güldal said at İDMA Istanbul 2026 that Türkiye could experience one of its highest grain production seasons in recent years. Noting that wheat production is estimated at 22.75 million tonnes and barley production at 9 million tonnes, Güldal underlined that TMO is strongly prepared for the new season with more than 600 procurement centres and storage preparations exceeding 20 million tonnes.

Speaking at the IDMA Global Grain & Milling Forum in Istanbul, TUSAF Chairman Mesut Çakmak said Türkiye has become a global force not only in flour production and exports, but also in milling technology, engineering and turnkey plant solutions. Pointing to expectations of a strong 2026 harvest, Çakmak said: “Last season, we managed scarcity. This season, we will manage abundance.”

Speaking at the IDMA Global Grain & Milling Forum in Istanbul, Alexander Karavaytsev, Senior Economist at the International Grains Council, said global wheat production in 2026/27 is forecast to fall by 3% from the previous year’s peak, but overall supplies are expected to remain ample thanks to record carry-in stocks. Karavaytsev highlighted El Niño risks, smaller crops in major exporting countries, weaker import needs in some key destinations and the growing importance of freight, logistics and currency movements in shaping global wheat trade.

Bringing together the global giants of flour, feed, pasta, and pulses technologies in Istanbul, the 11th IDMA Exhibition opened its doors with the participation of thousands of professionals from over 120 countries. Global partnerships, industrial financing, logistical expectations, and the inevitable role of modern technology in food security took center stage at the opening ceremony.

İDMA İstanbul, which will bring together industry professionals from more than 100 countries, aims to contribute to a trade volume of $1 billion through new partnerships and investments.

The Turkish Grain Board (TMO) has announced the highly anticipated grain purchase and sales prices for the 2026 season. The purchase price for both durum and bread wheat has been declared as 16,500 TL/Ton. Including subsidies, farmers will receive a total of 19,514 TL per ton of wheat.

WITT-Gasetechnik GmbH & Co. KG has announced a strategic expansion of its sales department, appointing Markus Bendisch as the new Head of Sales for Gas Control Equipment.

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.