Wheat Congress 2024 highlights global challenges facing the sector

The 31st International Wheat Industry Congress, organized by the Brazilian Wheat Industry Association (Abitrigo), will be held on October 23, 24 and 25, 2024, in Foz do Iguaçu (PR), at the Bourbon Cataratas Hotel. The event, which brings together the main representatives of the sector, will address strategic themes for the wheat production chain, with emphasis on the geopolitical and economic scenario of Brazil and the world.

At the opening ceremony, which will be held on the morning of October 24th, the presence of federal deputy Luiz Carlos Hauly has been confirmed. He is known for his role as rapporteur of the Tax Reform Proposal in the Chamber of Deputies, and is one of the main advocates for the simplification of the Brazilian system, proposing the unification of several taxes into a single tax on consumption.

The event's program will begin with the opening lectures on the theme “Economy and Geopolitics in Brazil and the World”, led by Gustavo Segré, political scientist and commentator for Jovem Pan, and Sergio Vale, economist and commentator for CNN Brasil, on the evening of October 23.

According to Abitrigo's CEO, Rubens Barbosa, “the presence of experts such as Segré and Vale demonstrates the congress' commitment to providing in-depth and relevant analyses so that the sector can prepare itself for the uncertainties and challenges of the market.”

Programming targeted at the sector

With an agenda focused on the demands of the wheat sector, the congress will feature panels such as "The Wheat Market", which will offer a comprehensive view of the national and international wheat market. The Wheat Market Specialist at Cooperativa Agrária, Roberto Sandoli Jr., will present the outlook for the national market, while IPSOY SA – Uruguay Trader, Eduardo Vazquez, will discuss the international scenario. The moderator will be Edson Csipai, Private Consultant for the Wheat Market, who will lead the discussions on trends and challenges for the sector.

Following the program, the panel “Technologies and the Future of Wheat in Food” will discuss technological innovations in the wheat sector, from production to derived foods. The Global Wheat Research Manager at GDM Seeds, Ivana Sabljic, will participate in the debate, who will address technologies that optimize wheat production, while the Head of Marketing, R&D, Quality and Processes at Wickbold, Luciana Rangel do Carmo, will speak about innovations in wheat-derived foods. The moderation will be led by the Senior Principal Scientist at IFF, Eduardo Pimentel, who will lead the debate on the impacts of these technologies on the production chain.

On the morning of the last day of the Congress, the theme will be “Wheat and the Media”, which will address the perception of wheat in the media. Buzzmonitor’s New Business Manager, Erick Garcia, will analyze the market’s view of wheat, while Gilberto Igrejas, Researcher and Head of the Functional Genomics and Proteomics Unit at the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, will provide a scientific perspective on the cereal. Manami Kawaguchi, Associate Consultant at Markestrat Group, will discuss how to improve the image of wheat. The moderator will be Vanderli Marchiori, Digital Influencer and Founder and Vice-President of the Brazilian Association of Nutrition in Mental Health.

Closing the event, the panel “Sales Channels for Wheat Derivatives” will focus on sales strategies. This panel will feature Jean Pontara, partner at J.Pontara Consultoria, who will discuss growth models for mills in food service and small retail, and Luiz Gaziri, a postgraduate professor at Unicamp, who will address the science behind sales. The moderator will be Eduardo Assêncio, General Superintendent of Abitrigo.

“We believe that this meeting will be a unique opportunity for the entire wheat production chain to strengthen relationships, discuss trends and exchange knowledge”, concludes Rubens Barbosa.