3rd World Grains Trade Summit

World Grains Trade Summit Singapore, 17-18 February 2009

CMT’s World Grains Trade Summit was held on 17-18 Feb 2009 in Singapore’s Goodwood Park Hotel to mark the growing prominence of Asia in the world grains market. Attracting over 200 top decision makers shaping the world’s grains & oilseeds industries, World Grains Trade Summit was well received in the community.

Conference participants were paying close attention to the industry’s top executives, who shared frank views on key issues dominating the markets including the Credit crisis, lowered freight rates and low prices.

Providing the keynote address was Noble Group’s Global Head of Grains, Diego Barbero, who spoke on the future of Asia on the world grains market. He discussed the impact of the credit crunch, funds shortage and the global production of major grains crops including wheat, soybean and corn.

Sharing his view on the fall out of the credit crunch on the grains industry Barbero said, “Production of crops is being constrained by the lack of credit financing.” Barbero also noted “you cannot expect farmers to invest heavily when there is uncertainty about demand.”

However, Mr. Barbero acknowledged the pivotal role Asia will continue to play in the world grains market.

Last year’s fall in commodity prices was the biggest commodity price decline on record, but attendees at World Grains Trade Summit remained optimistic about prospects for growth, especially in Asia, as the region remains the world’s largest consumer of grains.

Delegates came from over 30 countries to hear from the industry’s top players including Noble Group, Toepfer, Bunge, Agrocorp, Olam, SGS, Monsanto, LMC International, Standard Chartered Bank and the newly reformed AWB Inc to name a few.

World Grains Trade Summit examined the fundamental factors reshaping the grains markets, and took a close look at where investment and innovation is succeeding and where critical gaps have emerged, and participants at the World Grains Trade summit found the event to be useful, relevant and enjoyable.

Calling a grains trading event in Singapore “long overdue” participants took maximum advantage of the 10 hours of networking opportunities, having their own meetings to form business connections and network with top executives from the leading and most influential grains businesses, research institutes and government agencies.

In fact, testimonials like “A good platform to enhance networking & be update with issues and prospects in the region”, “Interesting conference with a wide range of topics” or even “Great conference, I’ll be back next year” were echoed by almost all who attended this pioneering event.

The World Grains Trade Summit also received the support and sponsorship from some of the industry’s most influential organizations including SGS, Monsanto, Glencore Grain, Intertek Agri Services, Concordia Agri-trading & Nibulon Ltd.

World Grains Trade Summit organised by CMT-Centre for Management Technology is set to become Asia’s annual must-attend Grains industry event.

Watch this space for more updates on World Grains Trade Summit, and our special announcements for 2010’s 2nd World Grains Trade Summit.

>>CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE WORLD GRAINS TRADE GALLERY.<<

In view of good response to the World Grains Trade Summit on 17-18 Feb 2009, and in anticipation of the need for larger space to accommodate more registrations, CMT has decided to move the conference venue to the Goodwood Park Hotel Singapore.

Goodwood Park Hotel is conveniently located in the heart of the shopping and entertainment hub of Orchard and Scotts Roads. The Hotel is within the main banking and business district of Shenton Way; making it an ideal choice for both leisure and business travellers. Taxi to Singapore Changi International Airport takes approximately 25 minutes.

As a benefit of being our conference delegate CMT has arranged special discounted room rate at S$ 300++ (Deluxe Single) per room per night including 1 Buffet Breakfast (subject to room and rate availability) for our overseas attendees at Goodwood Park Hotel Singapore.

Please reserve your room with the hotel directly, providing full credit card number and expiry date to:
Angelina Tan, Reservations Manager
Goodwood Park Hotel Singapore
22 Scotts Road
Singapore 228221
Tel: (65) 6730 1811
Fax: (65) 6738 5034
Email: rmresv@goodwoodparkhotel.com
Website: www.goodwoodparkhotel.com

For additional information about CMT’s World Grains Summit 2009 do feel free to contact grace@cmtsp.com.sg at tel: 65 6346 9147

World Grains Trade Summit, a key industry conference will be held on 17-18 February 2009 in Singapore. The Summit will map the fundamental factors reshaping the grains sector while turning a critical eye towards current market volatility. The event will spotlight insights of the grains industry via investment and innovation successes as well as pinpointing any critical industry gaps that exist currently. Sessions will weigh opportunities in the grains market in Asia and the World, and provide market analysis from innovators and market leaders alike.

Singapore (PRWEB) December 2, 2008 — The Grains market has seen extreme volatility for the year 2008 as grains prices rose dramatically then reversed course and crashed sharply. The grains market was severely influenced by the cost of crude oil and volatility in the currency markets, as well as supply fears. Only adding to the volatile 2008 was the Credit Crunch causing prices to fall even further from its mid-year peaks.

So what will the future hold? The upcoming World Grains Trade Summit, to be held in Singapore on 17-18 February 2009 serves as the industry platform for expert sharing sessions and panel discussions on the future direction of Asia’s Grains Markets. A key outcome of the event? Provide in-depth insights on how businesses can evolve amidst the volatile supplies and changing climate.

Noble Group Ltd’s Head of Grains and Oilseeds, Diego Barbero will deliver the keynote address “World Grains Markets–Positioning Asia for the Future.” In an interview with FT in August this year, Diego Barbero summed up the current market by noting that crop purchasers are forced to “play cat and mouse” with producers, who “naturally want to hoard their grains until prices are surging.”

“World Grains Markets–Positioning Asia for the Future.”

The UN Food & Agriculture Organization will also present an update on their Long-term Trends & Projections for Global Agriculture Commodities towards 2030 covering wheat, rice, coarse grains, oil crops, vegetable oils and products and livestock commodities.

Another key discussion topic is enhancing the safety of transactions and the role of the commodity exchange in protecting the interests of the grains market. The Chicago Mercantile Exchange Group (CME Group) will share their perspectives on measures to secure transactions on the exchange, and protecting interests of seller and buyer.

Other key contributors sharing market insights at the World Grains Summit include Singapore’s newly established Singapore Mercantile Exchange (SMX), currently leading the market shift of agricultural commodities trading from the West into Asia.

World Grains Trade Summit also covers the following developments in the world’s grains markets including:

• Impact of Global Economic Downturn on Asia’s Grains Markets.
• Future direction of the uneasy energy crops-food grains relationship and impact of crude oil prices.
• Collapse of the Baltic Dry Bulk Index and its impact on grains shipping.
• Trade flow for Rice grains across Asia.
• Corn market outlook for China.
• Latest developments in wheat markets in Australia and AWB Ltd.
• Production & Export of Grains in Ukraine & Black Sea belt.
• Grains Markets dynamics in the Middle East with focus on Iran.
• Grains Demand & Supply outlook for Africa.
• Physical Risk Management solutions for Grains.

Round-table and panel discussions will also articulate strategies that grains and agricultural commodities companies are adopting to stay ahead of the current volatile market conditions and maintain investment inflow into the industry.

World Grains Trade Summit includes over 10 hours of networking with CEOs, MDs and Top Executives in the Global grains and oilseeds sector, and will serve as the grains industry networking platform for the year 2009.

For more information on the conference and opportunities to participate as delegates, media partners, exhibitors and / or sponsors at World Grains Trade Summit are urged to submit their registrations, enquiries and proposals at http://www.futureenergyevents.com/worldgrains/attend/.

About World Grains Trade Summit
World Grains Trade Summit brings industry experts and leaders together to collaborate and share relevant industry experience that will guide, inspire and assist key Grains & Oilseeds markets players with critical gap analysis; risk evaluations; trend and growth opportunity outlook in the world grains markets in Asia and around the world. World Grains Trade Summit is organized by the Centre for Management Technology, whose mission focuses on providing access to the latest technology and business intelligence through high profile alternative energy conferences.