Wheat Congress 2025 takes place between October 20th and 22nd

Competitiveness, management practices, industry challenges, and national and international market prospects will be the topics of two roundtable discussions taking place during the 32nd International Wheat Industry Congress in Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro. The event, which aims to contribute to the strengthening and growth of the entire wheat industry chain in Brazil and other countries, will be held from October 20th to 22nd at the Windsor Barra Hotel.

The first panel of the Congress will be held on October 21st and will be titled "The Competitiveness of the Wheat Business." Participating in this discussion will be Irineu Pedrollo, CEO of J.Macêdo; André Paranhos, Vice President of Falconi Consultores; and Glauco Ferreira, Head of Procurement Brazil at Kellanova. The panel will be moderated by Marcelo Vosnika, a member of the Board of Directors of the Brazilian Wheat Industry Association (Abitrigo).

The panel will begin with a presentation by the moderator, who will present the economic performance of the milling sector over the past 10 years. Pedrollo will then address the management challenges of the wheat industry, using as an example the success story of J.Macêdo, which emerged from a difficult situation five years ago and is now one of the largest milling groups in the sector.

Paranhos will discuss the main factors influencing the sector's performance and the industry's investment priorities for the coming years, such as workforce training, advanced technology, and financial management. He will detail technology-based solutions and the main management challenges faced by companies in the sector. The vice president of Falconi Consultores will also present a survey on the maturity level of food industry organizations.

Sustainability as a distinguishing pillar of the wheat market will be the focus of Ferreira's lecture, using the example of Kellogg's legacy, which has placed the issue as a foundation of production for over 120 years. He will highlight how the industry embraces this commitment to society and seeks alignment with partners and producers. In this regard, Ferreira will also discuss research conducted by Embrapa (Brazilian Agricultural Research Institute) that shows that wheat is a low-carbon crop in Brazil compared to other regions of the world, which makes it more competitive as a more sustainable food. The speaker will also showcase best practices adopted by the industry in the field, meeting market demand.

The "Wheat Market" panel will be held on the last day of the Congress, featuring Elcio Bento, a wheat specialist from Safras & Mercado, who will discuss the topic at a national level; Pablo Maluenda, a private consultant for the Wheat Market, who will address the international aspect of the sector; and Jorge Lemainsk, head of Embrapa Trigo, who will discuss the prospects for wheat production in Brazil. The moderator will be Junior Justino, vice president of Bunge's Wheat Business in South America.

Maluenda will discuss the global situation in the sector, the factors influencing the product's price in 2025, the outlook for 2026, and the supply situation in the markets of Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Mercosur. Bento will then discuss the falling prices in Brazil, influenced by the Argentine market, and the current situation in the domestic market.

Lemainsk will conclude the panel by discussing genetics and management, the scientifically forecasted scenario, and the country's environmental capabilities for this crop. He will also discuss the quality of Brazilian wheat and other uses for the grain, beyond baking, such as the energy matrix and the animal nutrition market.

The Congress program also includes workshops promoted by Pensalab, Envirologix, Premiertech and Stern.