Take a look at what's in store for the IGC Grains Conference taking place in June

The 2022 Conference will be held in a hybrid format on 7 & 8 June 2022 in central London. Featuring contributions from speakers in pre-recorded format and live, the event will focus on a number of key topics, including supply chain vulnerabilities, sustainability as well as related climate change mitigation policies, and will be centred around four main sessions:

• Economic growth, with a special focus on infrastructure and logistical investments required to cope with shocks throughout the supply chain;
• Sustainability criteria and new trade policies in agricultural commodities;
• Carbon trading schemes and their potential use as a tool to incentivise climate change mitigation measures in the grains trade sector;
• The future of biofuels within the context of renewable energy policy, particularly in the transportation sector.

Day One of the IGC event consists of:
9.00 - 9.15 IGC chair speech

9.15 - 10.15 Economic outlook: bottlenecks and investments in logistics and infrastructure

• Logistics and freight have risen to the top of the news agenda due to COVID-19 linked turmoil, while prospects for extreme climate events have generated fears of further disruption to trade. The session will address the main drivers of the shipping sector and discuss future investments needed to improve its resilience and explore forecast of the maritime freight. Moreover, at COP26, an initiative emerged from the shipping sector on green corridors, a development which may generate new opportunities for grains trade. 

10.20 - 11.20 Trade finance: the future of carbon trading 

• Carbon sequestration and carbon markets are essential to achieving the goal of net-zero emissions. As businesses increasingly commit to reducing emissions, it is anticipated that carbon sequestration practices and carbon trading will need to scale up by 15- to 160-fold in order to meet growing demand. The session will address the development of carbon credit markets and the potential for regenerative agriculture and farming within the supply chain.

11.35 - 12.45 Supporting and advancing our common Grain Trade interests

• Grain trade and food systems around the world are responding to a number of dramatic and fundamental forces. The International Grains Council seeks to further international cooperation in grains trade; promote expansion, openness and fairness in the grains sector; contribute to grain market stability and to enhance world food security. The International Grain Trade Coalition Association is successfully serving our common interests by promoting and facilitating the performance of the supply chain for grains, oilseeds, pulses and derived products.

13.30 - 14.30 Regional snapshot: substitution potential in food-grain markets in Asia 

• Asia is one of the most dynamic regional markets for grains and oilseeds. Amid changing dietary patterns and consumer preferences, asymmetric market disruptions and price movements between wheat and rice provide some margin of manoeuvre for substitution. This session will address economic factors and trends within food-grain (wheat and rice) markets in key consuming countries.

14.40 - 15.40 Trade policy: sustainability criteria and trade policy

• Sustainability criteria are among the tools developed to support the grains, oilseeds and rice industry to respond to consumer demands for climate-friendly food systems. However, there is a danger that, amid multiple initiatives, markets may become less efficient. 

16.00 - 17.00 Climate change: future of the biofuels sector amid decarbonisation policies

• In the past two decades, biofuels sectors have developed quickly and sizeably in efforts to reduce harmful emissions and provide a more sustainable future in supplying various segments of the market. However, with the fast expansion of the electric vehicle sector in developed regions increasingly in focus, this raises questions as to the future utilisation of biofuels, notably, ethanol and biodiesel. This session will also consider developments in the context of the broader policy backdrop surrounding decarbonisation and the plications for the use of raw materials in future years.

For more information about the event visit the website, HERE.

The Global Miller
This blog is maintained by The Global Miller staff and is supported by the magazine Milling and Grain
which is published by Perendale Publishers Limited.