Key Insights from BBS Grain Istanbul 2025

What challenges and opportunities await the global grain market in the 2025/26 season?

Experts from Europe, Türkiye, Africa, and the Middle East shared forecasts, analysis, and ideas at BBS Grain Istanbul 2025 — one of the leading grain conferences 2025 and a key agribusiness forum for the international grain trade and agricultural logistics sectors.

According to Adrian Dobrita (RWA Raiffeisen Agro Romania), Romania remains one of the largest grain exporters in the EU, maintaining strong performance in the grain export market despite climatic volatility.

In 2024, the country faced the worst drought in a decade, yet for 2025, yields are expected to recover: wheat up to 11 million tons, corn 10 million tons, sunflower 2.1 million tons.

Even under weather pressure, Romania continues to demonstrate strong grain logistics and a resilient agri supply chain supporting global grain trade.

Bulgaria, meanwhile, reported excellent wheat and barley harvests with active exports to North Africa. However, according to Stoyan Valev (Grainstore), weak corn and sunflower output caused higher import needs and short-term price fluctuations on the corn and soybean market.

According to Vivian Iroanyi (S&P Global Commodity Insights), in the 2024/25 marketing year the grain market was marked by narrow spreads and elevated prices for Black Sea grain.

Wheat from the region remains the key benchmark for global grain and pulses trade, with Russia, Ukraine, Romania, and Bulgaria together accounting for nearly 38% of total exports.

A key development was Türkiye’s temporary import restrictions and the later removal of quotas in spring 2025. In June 2025, Platts introduced the Milling Wheat Marker, providing a transparent index for trading grain futures and commodity prices from the region — now one of the most competitive hubs for grain producers, grain buyers, and grain sellers.

Egypt, according to Amr Siam (Bashayer Feed), will remain the world’s largest wheat importer — around 13 million tons in 2025/26 — despite ongoing self-sufficiency efforts.

Import trends depend on currency access, government support programs, and private sector activity.

Higher local processing has boosted flour exports by 20%, with Sudan, Eritrea, Yemen, and Somalia among the key destinations.

Tunisia, according to Mehdi Zerzeri (Tunisia Grand Mills), remains 70% dependent on imported wheat and fully reliant on imported corn — primarily supplied from the Black Sea grain market and Europe.

Türkiye continues to balance support for local grain producers with maintaining stable supplies and affordable food prices.

Output of key grain crops remains above average, though a 10% decline in wheat and barley is expected.

Experts agree that the grain industry in 2025 will be shaped by factors beyond yields:

These influences highlight the importance of global trade corridors, northern transport routes, and container shipping logistics that connect Black Sea exporters with African and Asian markets.

BBS Grain Istanbul 2025, part of the broader Global Grain Forum series, showed once again that the Black Sea region is the nucleus of the international grain trade.

Eastern Europe and North Africa continue to play a defining role in global grain futures markets and agri investment forums.

The balance between grain exports from the region and Africa’s growing demand will shape grain market prices and grain market reports throughout 2025/26.

The upcoming Balkan and Black Sea Grain Forum 2026 will extend discussions on grain trade conferences, agriculture forums, and agribusiness events worldwide.

Join the Global Grain and Pulses Forum community to explore the future of grain trade, bean and pulses markets, soybean industry trends, and agricultural logistics in the new season.

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