Bringing together thousands of professionals from over 120 countries for its 11th edition, IDMA Istanbul, the global summit for grain, feed, and pulses technologies, united the industry under one roof. Laying the groundwork for a massive $1 billion business volume, this monumental organization transformed into the global collective think tank for food supply security through its concurrent international forum, macro-strategies, and high-level producer alliances.
As one of the world’s largest B2B meeting points for the flour, feed, pasta, and pulses industries, the 11th IDMA Istanbul Exhibition was held from June 25–27, 2026, at the Istanbul Expo Center (IFM). Combining Istanbul’s geographic strength at the very crossroads of global logistics, finance, and trade routes with international logistics infrastructure, the three-day mega event served as the definitive nerve center of the global market. Convening thousands of visitors and industry representatives from over 120 countries on a single commercial platform, the fair became the focal point of machinery and technology exports with a projected business volume target of nearly $1 billion.
IDMA EVOLVES FROM A TRADE SHOW INTO A GLOBAL THINK TANK
Delivering the opening address, M. Ali Kalkan, Chairman of HAGE Group, shared that despite orchestrating countless events over his quarter-century career in exhibition management, every IDMA opening still brings the same day-one excitement. Emphasizing that IDMA is no longer just a commercial trade show, Kalkan described it as a global platform where the collective intelligence, strategic vision, and future pathways of global industry stakeholders unite. He noted that the exhibition and its concurrent forum serve as critical pillars for global societal welfare, economic stability, and sustainability. Kalkan concluded by stating that where knowledge is shared and collective intelligence is leveraged, strong partnerships and sustainable growth inevitably follow, expressing his hope that this shared vision would yield lasting benefits for the global food ecosystem.
M. Ali Kalkan, Chairman of HAGE Group
TMO DIRECTOR GENERAL AHMET GÜLDAL: IDMA IS AN INVALUABLE PLATFORM
Taking a brief intermission from a demanding harvest schedule to show solidarity with industry professionals, Ahmet Güldal, Director General of the Turkish Grain Board (TMO), underscored that the strategic sectors represented at the exhibition, including flour, feed, pasta, bulgur, and semolina, are the pride of Türkiye, having contributed a massive $34 billion in value to the national economy over the past 23 years. Reminding the audience that Türkiye ranks first globally in flour exports and second in pasta, Güldal hailed IDMA as an invaluable platform for showcasing cutting-edge quality and technology, as well as facilitating international knowledge transfer.
Ahmet Güldal, Director General of the Turkish Grain Board (TMO)
IAOM MEA: PARTNERING WITH IDMA FOR CAPE TOWN
Ali Habaj
Regional Director
IAOM MEA
Representing the international integration side of the summit, Ali Habaj, Regional Director of the International Association of Operative Millers Middle East and Africa (IAOM MEA), highlighted the strategic significance they attribute to the IDMA platform. Announcing that the next major milestone for the global projects jointly run by IAOM MEA, TÜRKİYEM-BİR, and IDMA will take place from November 23–26 in Cape Town, South Africa, Habaj reaffirmed their commitment to taking decisive steps toward shaping the future of the industry.
“RUSSIAN MILLERS’ INTEREST IN TURKISH TECH IS SKYROCKETING”
Highlighting international alliances, Ilina Olga, Representative of the Russian Union of Flour and Grain Enterprises, noted that Russia’s robust raw material potential and Türkiye’s global leadership in flour production and milling technologies complement each other perfectly. Olga observed that Russian manufacturers’ interest in modern Turkish milling equipment is skyrocketing, adding that platforms like IDMA deeply root this ongoing technological shift and shared vision.
Concluding the protocol addresses on behalf of the Istanbul Governorship, Deputy Governor Okan Leblebicier emphasized that in the face of a rising global population, food security has taken on a critical dimension. He stressed that modern technological support is increasingly vital to guarantee sustainable food supply chains and praised IDMA for fulfilling a highly valuable mission by introducing these innovative solutions to the global marketplace.
IDMA GLOBAL GRAIN & MILLING FORUM IMPRESSES WITH “RESILIENT TRADE AND INNOVATIVE MILLING” THEME
IDMA Istanbul 2026 transcended the traditional boundaries of heavy machinery displays and commercial transactions, transforming into a premier intellectual hub where the future of the global food industry was mapped out. Held concurrently with the exhibition, the two-day, high-attendance IDMA Global Grain & Milling Forum brought together international ministry representatives, global association heads, acclaimed academics, financial analysts, and executives from multinational agribusiness conglomerates under one roof. Across six main sessions, nearly 30 high-profile panelists tackled critical issues such as food security, yield projections, and technology exports, fostering a “food diplomacy summit” atmosphere that charted the course for global economic and social stability.
The forum was anchored by the core theme of “Resilient Trade and Innovative Milling.” Speaking at the opening session, Mesut Çakmak, President of the Turkish Flour Industrialists’ Federation (TUSAF), noted that IDMA’s two-decade journey has established it as one of the world’s most vital technology showcases, extending his gratitude to M. Ali Kalkan, Chairman of HAGE Group, and all key stakeholders for their dedicated efforts. Addressing vital topics ranging from the disruptive impacts of climate change on supply chains to AI-driven automation, zero-carbon green milling technologies, and fluctuating freight costs, the forum’s macro perspective demonstrated to the global community that IDMA has evolved into the ultimate collective think tank and vision ecosystem for the flour, feed, pasta, and pulses industries.
TMO: “LAST YEAR WE MANAGED SCARCITY, NOW WE WILL MANAGE ABUNDANCE IN 2026”
Sharing field observations and procurement strategies at the forum, TMO Director General Ahmet Güldal brought encouraging news: following the low and irregular rainfall of 2025, the first half of 2026, particularly from January onward, yielded the heaviest and most balanced rainfall in 38 years. Güldal noted that this favorable weather has closed the yield gap between dry and irrigated farming, stating that field data indicates the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s crop estimates of 22.75 million tons of wheat and 9 million tons of barley will be exceeded. Pointing out that the purchase prices announced on June 2 included positive discrimination for the Southeastern Anatolia Region, home to the world’s highest-quality durum wheat, Güldal announced that TMO had seamlessly completed 1 million tons of procurement within a 21-day window, even with the harvest at just 14–15% completion. Urging producers to have no anxieties regarding storage, Güldal detailed a massive infrastructure readiness exceeding 20 million tons, comprising 10 million tons of institutional capacity, 4 million tons in licensed warehouses, 4 million tons in leased/contracted storage, and 3–4 million tons in open-air storage facilities. He confidently stated, “TMO is a deeply rooted institution capable of managing not just scarcity, but abundance as well.”
TUSAF PRESIDENT ÇAKMAK: WHEAT IS NOT JUST A COMMODITY, IT IS A STRATEGIC SECURITY ELEMENT
Mesut Çakmak
Chairman of TUSAF
Echoing and fully endorsing the TMO Director General’s visionary outlook, TUSAF President Mesut Çakmak made a historic point: “We managed scarcity during the 2025 season, and we will manage abundance in 2026.” Framing wheat yield expectations at 23–24 million tons, Çakmak stressed that wheat is far more than a mere commodity, it is a vital element of strategic security. He pointed out that Türkiye has transitioned from being simply a flour or pasta exporter into a global powerhouse exporting technology, engineering, and automation, sharing striking statistics: in 2025, Türkiye’s total machinery exports surpassed the $28 billion threshold, with milling machinery taking the lion’s share at $4.2 billion, securing Türkiye the number one spot globally in this sector.
Çakmak highlighted that Turkish manufacturers are establishing turnkey factories and transferring technology and know-how across vast geographies from Africa to the Middle East, Central Asia, and South America. He noted that the competitive landscape ahead will be defined by sustainability benchmarks, including digitalization, AI-powered production systems, energy efficiency, and carbon footprint reduction. Concluding with the maxim, «Strong agriculture brings strong industry, strong industry brings strong exports, and strong exports bring a robust economy,» Çakmak extended an invitation to industry representatives for the upcoming TUSAF Congress, scheduled for April 8–11, 2027, in Northern Cyprus.
SHIFTING CORRIDORS IN GLOBAL TRADE: SOUTH AMERICA AND MERCOSUR DYNAMICS
Participating in the forum via video link, Gustavo Idígoras, President of CIARA-CEC, emphasized the growing strategic role of South America and the broader Mercosur region in global food security. Pointing out that Argentina exported 120 million tons of its 160 million ton grain and oilseed output to global markets this year, Idígoras projected that under Javier Milei’s administration, gradual tax reductions through the end of 2028 could push annual production to 200 million tons. He explained that a decade of severe droughts had prompted farmers to pivot toward climate-resilient sunflowers, allowing Argentina to ramp up sunflower oil supplies to India following Black Sea disruptions.
Furthermore, with wheat production climbing to 28 million tons, the country is expanding its reach beyond Brazil into new frontiers in Asia and North Africa. The president also drew attention to the critical infrastructure project aimed at deepening the Paraná River waterway to 40 feet, a lifeline that promises to lower logistics costs and holds paramount importance for global buyers.
INTERNATIONAL GRAINS COUNCIL (IGC) PROJECTIONS: SUPPLY REMAINS STABLE, RISKS ARE LOGISTICAL
Alexander Karavaytsev, Senior Economist at the IGC, revealed that global wheat production for the 2026/27 season is projected to dip by 3% from the previous year’s record to 821 million tons. However, he reassured the forum that an immense carry-in stock of 286 million tons would prevent any severe supply squeeze. Karavaytsev emphasized that market dynamics this season will depend less on paper supply and more on the logistical accessibility of stocks, citing high domestic rail freight costs in Russia as a prime example.
Addressing regional weather anomalies driven by El Niño patterns, the economist noted that while it poses risks to Australian wheat, it could paradoxically bring favorable rainfall distributions to South America, particularly Argentina. With robust domestic production in importing nations, the IGC forecasts a 4% contraction in global wheat trade to 205 million tons. Despite a stable price index, elevated freight costs continue to dampen import appetite. Karavaytsev summarized the primary structural threats facing the agricultural sector over the next five years as declining farming margins, algorithmic price volatility, and climate-induced logistical disruptions across vital waterways, including the Rhine, the Danube, and US inland river systems.
BBM MUTFAK: THE FAIR’S MOST FLAVOURFUL GO-TO SPOT
Sectoral Partnerships Under the “Pleasure Collection of Civilization” Theme
Amidst discussions of billion-dollar macro data, logistical corridors, and global yield reports, the most vibrant and heavily visited social hub at the heart of the industrial event was the BBM Mutfak. Organized for the second consecutive year by BBM Magazine, a favorite publication within the baking, biscuit, and pasta sectors, this dedicated event space successfully united the industry’s dynamism around a shared table over the course of three days. Moderated by agricultural and food journalist Mine Ataman under the theme “The Pleasure Collection of Civilization,” the sessions on baking, pasta, and milling technologies seamlessly blended technical knowledge exchange with culinary artistry.
PROFESSIONAL EQUIPMENT MEETS WARM NETWORKING
The event’s headline sponsorship was spearheaded by Özmen Un, a pioneering brand in the flour industry, while Memak Makine provided the essential industrial ovens, mixers, and professional equipment that kept production running flawlessly. As the aroma of freshly baked goods and artisanal pizzas filled the air, the space welcomed top-tier industry leaders, including TMO Director General Ahmet Güldal, TUSAF President Mesut Çakmak, IAOM MEA Regional Director Ali Habaj, HAGE Group Chairman M. Ali Kalkan, and Özmen Un Chairman Erhan Özmen. Providing an informal setting where the future of the industry could be debated over a cup of tea and a slice of fresh pizza, this specialized area transformed into a prestigious networking hub for forging new international partnerships.
IDMA TODAY NEWSPAPER CAPTIVATES READERS
Having debuted two years ago at a prior IDMA Istanbul event to widespread acclaim, the show newspaper IDMA Today, emerged as a highlight of the exhibition. While the IDMA Forum elevated industry standards through its intellectual depth and global market insights, IDMA Today served as its print reflection, offering readers an authoritative and comprehensive industry resource. Available on the showroom floor and throughout the forum areas from the moment doors opened, the newspaper was distributed across the entire venue in two separate bilingual editions (Turkish and English). Featuring professional design and high-quality content, this daily publication remained a staple in the hands of both domestic and international visitors and exhibitors, standing out as a premier asset crafted through Parantez Media’s extensive expertise and boots-on-the-ground capability in event publishing.
International Analysis and Robust Editorial Content
Meticulously curated during the pre-show editorial phase, IDMA Today provided readers with a broad perspective encompassing national and global grain supplies, TMO pricing strategies, the latest technological developments, and emerging sectoral trends. Featuring exclusive interviews with influential figures from domestic and international markets, the publication compiled in-depth analyses from world-renowned experts and institutional executives, including analysts from Rabobank. This commitment to editorial integrity and professional publishing also provided leading firms with a highly sophisticated platform to articulate their corporate visions on a global stage.
Following in the footsteps of previous prestigious show dailies produced for the sector, such as Flour World (for TUSAF), BBM Pasta (for World Pasta Day), and Feed Focus (for TUYEM), this year’s IDMA Today represented another strong link in a well-established publishing tradition, successfully fulfilling its mission to deliver premier communication support and preserve institutional industry memory.