Agenda | Global Grain MENA

Agenda Overview

17:30 – 19:30 Evening welcome cocktail reception

09:00 Registration and morning refreshments

09:05 Chairperson’s opening remarks

09:05 Global grains and oilseeds outlook: how is the MENA region affected by regional market trends?

Import and export trends for wheat, corn and soy products
Production updates for key grain producing regions
Developments in MENA grain consumption patterns and quality requirements
How is ‘food security’ defined and measured? How can MENA countries ensure that they are ‘food secure’?

Dmitry Prikhodko, Economist – Investment Centre Division, Food & Agriculture Organisation of UN (FAO)

09:45 Macroeconomic outlook: impact of economic factors on the global agriculture sector

Regional unrest and other geopolitical concerns in the Middle East and Black Sea regions
Assessing the impact of China’s continued economic slowdown
Crude oil price outlook and its effect on the global Ag market
How are currency value changes affecting players in the MENA region?

10:15 Morning refreshments and networking break

11:00 Traders’ panel: adapting strategies in a low-price market

What consolidation has been seen in the region and is this expected to continue?
Which origination markets are of most interest currently and why?
Are buyers’ requirements in the region changing dramatically?

11:45 Ocean freight in crisis: an era of risks and opportunities for grain buyers

12:45 Networking lunch

14:15 The development of food security programmes in North African countries

An overview of current food security systems in Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco
How can post-harvest losses be reduced?
Is North Africa an attractive market for investors to target assets?
What initiatives are in the pipeline?

14:45 Black Sea grain: will Russia and Ukraine continue to be dominant forces in the region?

New crop quality – how have crops survived the winter and how is the new planting campaign progressing?
Pricing outlook – how will increased competition from other regions influence prices?
Analysing the impact of sanctions and other geopolitical issues on trade flows
Potential export taxes and their implications for players in the region

15:45 Afternoon refreshments and networking break

16:30 India and Bangladesh: recent progress and outlook for the coming years

17:00 Overview of the Turkish grains market

Wheat, corn and barley production figures and outlook for the coming season
Are there quality concerns over products sources domestically?
Which regions are being targeted for imports? How are geopolitical issues affecting trade?
Turkish wheat flour and feed export performance

17:30 End of day two and networking drinks reception

08:55 Chairperson’s opening remarks

09:00 End users’ perspective: discussing the procurement strategies of feed and flour millers in the MENA region

Regional flour and feed millers’ demand outlook
What are the quality and price requirements for millers in MENA countries?
How do consumption patterns affect procurement strategies?
In which ways do state buying agencies’ strategies differ?
What import requirements do MENA countries have and how does this affect supplier costs?

10:00 Weather trends and the global grain markets: is La Niña on the horizon?

How did the historical strong El Niño impact grain markets?
Will a transition to La Niña occur and what impact could it have on global crop yields and production?
Summer forecast for the major Northern Hemisphere growing regions

10:30 Refreshments and networking break

11:15 South American origination: can Brazil and Argentina increase their presence in the region?

Export policy changes in Argentina – how has this affected trading flows?
Role reversal – deepening Brazilian recession and Argentina’s promising recovery
Real and potential grains export – where are they going and in what volumes?
Soy crushing capacity and future demand
Have infrastructure limitations been overcome? What new projects are in the pipeline?