Market Concentration in the Grain Industry: Implications for Food Security?

IFPRI Podcast

IFPRI-AMIS SEMINAR SERIES Market Concentration in the Grain Industry: Implications for Food Security? Co-organized by IFPRI and Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) SEP 7, 2023 - 9:30 TO 11:00AM EDT On June 13, 2023, Bunge Limited, a US-based food trader and processor, announced its intention to buy rival grain trader Viterra, a company controlled by the commodity trading firm Glencore Plc and two Canadian pension funds. If the merger succeeds, the new company would be the second largest grain trading company in the world after Cargill and become a dominant player in wheat and soybean markets. Markets for agricultural inputs like fertilizer and seed are also highly concentrated. Please join us for the fourth seminar of the IFPRI-AMIS series on Making Sense of Food and Agriculture Markets, which will examine whether increased concentration necessarily leads to increased market power or simply reflects the underlying economic efficiencies controlling value chains. Is this a food security concern and if so, what should be the role of international institutions and organizations in regulating markets? Welcome Remarks Joseph Glauber, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI and Interim Secretary, Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) Concentration in Grain Trade Javier Blas, Opinion Columnist, Bloomberg L.P. Benedicte Doumayrou, Senior Policy Officer chez, European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) Swithun Still, Founder, STILL GRAIN Sarl, Grain and Feed Trade Association (GAFTA) Concentration in the Seed Industry James MacDonald, Research Professor, University of Maryland (UMD) Concentration in the Fertilizer Industry Delphine Leconte-Demarsy, Consultant – Fertilizers, AMIS hosted by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Discussant Seth Meyer, Chief Economist, USDA and AMIS Chair Moderator Joseph Glauber, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI and Interim Secretary, Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) More about this seminar: https://www.ifpri.org/event/market-concentration-grain-industry-implications-food-security Subscribe IFPRI Insights newsletter and event announcements at www.ifpri.org/content/newsletter-subscription