Global Grain Geneva

9:00AM Black Sea Forum

This year's Black Sea Forum will provide a deeper dive look at the region, a look back at the year's crop and key challenges producers and traders are facing over the next 12-18 months.

For the full agenda please click here 

To register for the Black Sea Forum please click here. 

9:30AM Advance Trading Workshop

An interactive session with an outlook on the fundamentals of the market, followed by a unique roundtable discussion on supply chain issues. Starting with producer/farmer marketing and logistics then leading into a discussion of procurement challenges and strategies specific to the individual end user or merchandising/trading operations. For more information for the full program click here.

The Advance Trading Programme is free of charge and is available only to delegates registered for the conference. You still need to let us know if you would like to attend. Email info@ggrain.com to confirm your place.

5:00PM Networking Drinks Reception

You can start your networking at Global Grain Geneva 2018 with a bang by joining everyone for a glass or two at our opening drinks reception

7:30PM Global Grain Awards

Join us for the Global Grain Awards gala dinner compered by Dan Basse. Don't miss out on an opportunity for you to network, recognise and celebrate this year's grain and oilseed industry leaders. 

For more information please click here.

8:45AM Welcome Remarks

9:00AM Keynote Address: An Outlook and the Fundamentals from Dan Basse

"Trading politics is impossible but we still must endure." - Dan Basse

Listen to Dan Basse's outlook on how to trade in an era of volatility, trade wars and the geopolitics of twitter. 

9:45AM Networking Coffee Break

Sponsored by SCCF

10:15AM A Snapshot: Modernising Global Trade Operations

ADM, Bunge, Cargill and Louis Dreyfus Company are investigating ways to standardize and digitize global agricultural commodity trade operations for the benefit of the entire industry. The companies also seek broad-based industry participation to promote global access and adoption. Join this session at the Global Grains Conference to learn about their intentions and discuss how broad participation from the industry can drive greater reliability, efficiency and transparency enabling to better serve our customers and consumers.

10:45AM What does the next 12 months hold for the grain trading market?

• Where is future demand going to come from? Future geographic hotspots and market risers
• US-China Trade War: A Temporary Irritant or a long term trend?
• By reclaiming the margin and diversifying in to the downstream, has the role of the trader changed to a supply chain manager? If so what is the implication?
• Is algorithium trading a real threat to the traditional role of a trader?
• What impact is the processors and supermarkets focus on servicing consumer trends having on the role of the supplier?
• How do you effectively map and demonstrate origination, sustainability and traceability?

11:45AM The Market Outlook: Bulls vs. Bears

12:15PM Annual Executive Fireside Chat Followed By a Question and Answer Session

Get the view from the top with our annual executive fireside chat

1:00PM Networking Lunch Break

2:00PM The Weather Outlook

• A look at the impact of a surprisingly warm summer on this year’s production
• El Nino & La Nina
• An early look at next year’s Northern Hemisphere growing season

2:30PM Macroeconomic Presentation: The Impact of Currency Fluctuations

An economic outlook, looking at key disruptors and predictions for the global economy, a deeper dive look on regional economies and business during the next 12-18 months.

3:00PM Cost Margins and Agri-Benchmarking

• How can traders restructure to maintain cost margins, match agri-benchmarks and the map economics of scale for crushing margins?
• Will big data improve market analysis (monthly balance sheets against shipped tonnages?)
• A look at the variable costs of processing including energy and derivatives

2:30PM Black Sea and Asian futures. Reshaping the pricing landscape of the global grains market

• Black Sea and Australian grains futures impact on physical market
• Origin competitiveness tracking into Asian markets.
• Benefits of futures trading for physical trading community
• The next indexing opportunities in the global trade

3:00PM The Season of Surprise for the Black Sea

• Futures are starting to be cleared by Chicago, what does this mean for the future of the black sea region wheat?
• A look at the margin financing issues in the region
• What port internal logistics investment is coming? 

2:30PM Digitalization in the Agri-Commodity Supply Chain

• Digital platforms and block chain solutions can change the way parties interact – how and what will 2019 bring?
• Quality, sustainability & Safety are some of the essentials in our supply chains – find out how digital technologies are impacting on these essentials. 
• Data transparency, integrity and speed gains importance in a more digital world – how will all this be secured in the future?

3:00PM Panel Discussion: Blockchain: What actually is it and how does it work?

• A case study look at the practicalities of a trade using blockchain
• Will the industry actually take to blockchain?
• Does the increase use of blockchain mark the use of cryptocurrency

3:45PM Networking Coffee Break

Networking cofffee break, followed by a continuation of streams A, B and C

Sponsored by SCCF

4:15PM Algorithm Trading’s New Dominance: Will it continue?

• Are algorithm traders here to stay?
• What impact has the USDA shutting the press room had on algorithm traders?
• How can institutions continue to keep the playing field level for algorithm traders and traditional traders?

4:45PM Risk Management Panel Discussion

• What strategies can be adopted by producers, merchandisers and end users?
• Addressing the various ways to manage the risk of climate change and major weather events
• Customisation of products – OTC, futures, options
• How is legislation affecting public and private companies?
• How is politics impacting risk? A look at the growing impact of the geopolitics of twitter

4:15PM How is the US-China trade war impacting the broader global market?

• How can you manage and plan risk when the market is changed in the space of 150 characters?
• Will trade flows be permanently changed by the current trade war?
• How can a smaller trading houses take advantage of the volatility of a trade war?

5:00PM Panel Discussion: A Deeper Look at Pakistan, Bangladesh & South East Asia

• Analysis of Indian grains production in 2018 and forecast for 2019
• How is domestic grains and oilseeds demand shifting?
• What strategy will the government adopt with regards to imports and tariffs?
• A look at changing patterns in meat consumption

4:15PM Untapping the potential for wider use of Satellite Data for Agricultural Monitoring 

This talk will focus on current capabilities and future directions of agricultural monitoring at national to global using satellite remote sensing. It will outline current challenges for advancing remote sensing applications  and will talk about new opportunities brought about by the recent revolution in cost and availability of satellite data, alongside advances in high performance computing and big data analytics. It will also highlight recent examples of how these data are used for informing market and food security decisions. 

4:45PM Innovate Digitally to make most of disruption in Agriculture value chain

The Agri Industry is being disrupted by Ag Tech Providers leveraging technology to win farmer loyalty (Eg FBN, Indigo).  Traditional providers are fighting back through adopting digital technologies to become more agile

Winning against this backdrop means thinking out of the box to:

-Extend beyond the Trading/Risk to connect with Sourcing & Customers to work as one

-Flexing with market changes quickly to leverage opportunities

-Connecting any data anywhere to manage the business risk and opportunity

5:30PM Networking Drinks Reception

We welcome the global grain community to network with drinks, canapes and entertainment. 

9:30AM Fireside Chat: Market Outlook on the South American Soy Market

• A look at the impact of the trade war on the soy bean trade flow out of South America
• What us the current soy crushing capacity in South America? Is there room for an increase?
• How can Brazil and Argentina capitalise on this opportunity?

10:00AM Ocean Freights Markets: The dawn of change?

• The technological revolution and freight: is shipping ready for change and how will this impact the grain markets?
• Global warming and shipping: do grain markets need to take a notice?
• Shipping in the polarized world: trade wars and ocean freight, and how it matters to the grain sector?

9:30AM Presentation: A View from the Millers

• A look at the impact of the increased volatility of wheat prices on flour millers
• How has vertical integration been used to secure value? Has it worked?
• What impact will the growing middle class have on feed production in the region or will it mostly be reliant on imports?
• Will veganism and vegetarianism have the same growth in Africa and Asia? Will this counteract the growth in meat consumption?

10:00AM Panel Discussion: The Global Food Supply Chain: What at the Key Challenges for the next 12 – 18 months?

• A look at the changing consumption patterns, what will be the impact of the growth of vegetarianism and veganism?
• Where are the chokepoints in the global food supply chain?
• OECD projections for meat consumption are down. How is the feed miller sector preparing for the macro consumer trends that are going to change consumption over the next 5 – 10 years?

11:00AM Networking Coffee Break

Networking cofffee break, followed by a continuation of streams A and B

Sponsored by SCCF

11:45AM Sub-Saharan Africa Spotlight: Production Decline with Rising Demand: Who is going to fill it?

• Accelerating Development in Africa’s Grain sector
• Infrastructure Development in Africa’s Agriculture Space:
• Grain Processing and Supply chain in Africa
• Increasing Funding for Agric Value Chains

11:45AM Panel Discussion: Traceability and Sustainability Across the Supply Chain

• To what extent can blockchain help improve the traceability of grain back through the supply chain? What other methods are there?
• Consumer shifts have put pressure on the need to demonstrate traceability. How can companies measure micro consumer shifts to attempt to position themselves for the next one?

12:45PM Closing Remarks

1:15PM Close of Conference and Bellini Brunch Hosted by the Swiss Grain Traders Club and Swiss Re Corporate Solutions

Join us for a Bellini brunch hosted by the Swiss Grain Traders Club and Swiss Re Corporate Solutions