From November 19 to 21, 2025, the AgroFoodSummit 2025 convened in Mersin, Turkey. This significant event brought together representatives from the grain, oilseed, and pulse sectors across 34 countries,
The international event was organized by the Ukraine Pulse and Soybean Association, APK-Inform Agency, with the support of the Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine and the Global Pulse Confederation (GPC).
The Union of Municipalities of Türkiye, the Presidential Food and Agriculture Policy Board of Türkiye, the Turkish Grain Board (TMO), the Mediterranean Exporter Associations (AKİB), and the Mersin Commodity Exchange actively participated in this event. Additionally, it featured leading companies and institutions from the Middle East, Europe, Central Asia, and India.
The Summit focused on key trends in global agricultural trade, rising demand for value-added products, rapid market developments in India and Türkiye, and the strengthening cooperation between the Black Sea region and Asia.
Ahead of the main program, participants visited the production facilities of Arbel (AGT) — one of the world’s largest pulse processors. AgroFoodSummit attendees explored the company’s technologies, quality control systems, and raw material requirements essential for stable supplies to the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. The tour provided traders and producers with insights into the scale of Türkiye’s processing industry and AGT’s investments in modernizing production lines.
“Ukraine is a global leader in grain, pulses, and oilseed production. Strengthening cooperation with Türkiye, India, and the EU is essential, as the stability of global markets depends on continuous dialogue and data exchange. This is exactly why we organized and held AgroFoodSummit 2025,” said Antonina Sklyarenko, President of the Ukraine Pulse and Soybean Association.
Participants also focused heavily on Türkiye’s role in logistics across the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions.
“Türkiye plays a leading role in global trade of pulses and their processed products, and cooperation with Ukraine, India, and Central Asia is strategically important. Mersin is a major logistics hub, and AgroFoodSummit 2025 helps strengthen trade flows. With our support, the event was held in Mersin for the first time. In 2026, we also plan to continue developing this initiative. I am confident that this platform should expand and attract even more countries,” emphasized Huseyin Arslan, Chairman of AGT Foods/Arbel.
During the AgroFoodSummit 2025 was signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the India Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA) and the Ukraine Pulse and Soybean Association, aimed at expanding cooperation in the production, promotion, and trade of pulses.
“India is the world’s largest consumer of pulses, and our market continues to grow rapidly. Indian demand already creates a potentially billion-dollar opportunity for Ukraine. India can become a stable importer of Ukrainian yellow peas, and — with further development — chickpeas as well. We also encourage Ukrainian producers to increase lentil production. The MoU with the Ukraine Pulse and Soybean Association will help expand trade and strengthen business ties between India and Ukraine. As a result, we expect Ukrainian pulse exports to grow,” said Bimal Kothari, Chairman of IPGA.
The final stage of the event was a visit to the Mersin International Port (MIP). Participants learned about the port’s infrastructure, operations, cargo distribution systems, and innovations in storage and handling of agricultural products.
“Our port, ranked among the world’s top 20 container hubs by Lloyd’s List, plays a key role in regional logistics thanks to its strategic location and direct services to Africa, Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Together with our global operator PSA, which holds 51% of shares, we handle over 3.6 million TEU and process all cargo types, receiving more than 3,500 vessels annually. In 2024, MIP handled 67 million tonnes of cargo and 1.93 million TEU, covering 16% of Türkiye’s market and 72% of the Eastern Mediterranean. We are now implementing a full automation project that will add an additional 1 million TEU of capacity,” said Mehmet Halit Bezek, MIP Head of Conventional Cargo and Value-Added Services.
AgroFoodSummit 2025 became a platform where professional discussions quickly translated into real business decisions: several contracts were signed during the event, and many negotiations are now entering the final phase.
The participation of market leaders, government representatives, and global processors reinforces Mersin’s role as one of the key platforms for shaping the future of agricultural trade between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.