Day Two of ProKrakhmal-2026: An Industry Dialogue on Strategy, Investment, and Human Resources

On April 15, 2026, Moscow hosted the second day of the landmark 10th International Conference “ProKrakhmal‑2026: From Raw Materials to Bioeconomy”, organised by the Association of Grain Deep Processing Enterprises. The second day was dedicated to analytics, consumer markets, bioclusters, industrial projects, human resources, and biotechnology.

Strategic Session: “PRO Analytics and Consumer Markets”

During the session, participants discussed the current state of the starch and syrup industry, the market potential of promising grain deep‑processing segments, the technological transformation of feed production, as well as the impact of excise duties on sugar‑sweetened beverages on formulations and demand for sweet components. The session was moderated by Polina Semenova, Executive Director of the Union of Starch and Syrup Producers (SPPI).

Pavel Paramonov, Head of Strategic Marketing at Cargill LLC, noted: “After a record year in 2024, the starch and syrup industry saw a cooling of demand in 2025. The main reason was lower output in the confectionery segment, which accounts for 62% of molasses and syrup consumption. Negative demand dynamics were also observed in the beverages, ice cream, and corrugated packaging segments. However, 2026 offers grounds for cautious optimism — the industry continues to develop through the expansion of product portfolios by market players and the implementation of grain deep‑processing projects.”

Sofia Murzina, Head of Food Raw Materials and Ingredients Market Research at the Centre for Investment and Industrial Analysis, stated: “Today it is becoming increasingly difficult for investors to find attractive niches in the grain deep‑processing industry: the market is growing, existing companies are expanding their product portfolios, and new projects are being launched in Russia and the CIS. At the same time, limited domestic demand and the strong dependence of export supplies on price competitiveness restrain growth and do not always allow the industry’s potential to be realised.”

Lyubov Savkina, Director of Development at the analytical platform AgroInsight and founder of the educational project Savkina Expert Group, emphasised: “The logic of ‘more heads – more meat’ is now being replaced by the paradigm of ‘lower cost – higher competitiveness’. This requires a shift to high‑tech feeding, where there is growing demand for grain deep‑processing products — amino acids, vitamins, and protein concentrates. The time for making investment decisions is 2026–2027: to secure the market with domestic feed raw materials by 2030, action is needed now.”

Lyudmila Khomich, Director for Quality, Technical Regulation and Standardisation at the Union of Juice, Water and Beverage Producers, said: “The policy of reducing sugar consumption and the introduction of an excise tax on sugar‑sweetened beverages have triggered a large‑scale transformation of the industry: producers are actively revising formulations, seeking opportunities to replace sugar with other sweet components, and creating demand for new technological solutions from related industries.”

Round Table: “PRO Bioclusters and Industrial Projects”

Round‑table participants discussed investment hypotheses, financial sustainability strategies, the introduction of new biotechnologies and artificial intelligence, an integrated approach to the deep processing of leguminous crops, as well as the role of science and education in shaping bioclusters. The session was moderated by Oleg Radin, President of the Union of Starch Producers (Soyuzkrakhmal).

A representative of Rustark LLC noted: “To successfully implement grain deep‑processing projects in the current unstable economic environment, companies need to adhere to a financial sustainability strategy: rely on equity capital, diversify funding, and approach investments with the utmost caution.”

Natalia Chernysheva, Managing Director for Technological Development of Agriculture at Rosselkhozbank JSC, stated: “Grain deep processing is now seen as a strategic direction: it enables the production of high‑margin, sought‑after products — amino acids, feed and food additives — some of which are in short supply and have export potential. The industry’s development is directly linked to the adoption of new biotechnologies and the use of AI for modelling, DNA synthesis, and the creation of microorganisms.”

Maxim Divak, Deputy General Director for Foreign Economic Activity at the Yubileiny Agricultural Holding Group of Companies, stressed: “Deep‑processing projects for agricultural raw materials require an integrated approach, because efficiency is achieved not through a single product but through full processing and the output of several products. Already at the planning stage, it is important to consider domestic market constraints, focus on exports, and rely on a stable raw material, engineering, and human resources base, as well as experience in implementing complex biotech production facilities.”

Boris Karetkin, Associate Professor at the Department of Biotechnology of Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia, noted: “Integrated processing of plant raw materials is the foundation for forming bioclusters, but their development is impossible without systemic interaction between science, education, and business. Research and educational organisations play a crucial role — they not only participate in developing and improving biotechnological processes but also provide training. It is also essential that on the territory of a biocluster, within walking distance for small and medium‑sized enterprises (whose capabilities are usually limited), there are technology transfer centres offering a range of opportunities for research and scaling of biotechnological processes.”

Scientific and Practical Session: “PRO Human Resources, Innovation, and Biotechnology”

The session was moderated by Ekaterina Titova, leading researcher at the Research Institute for Education Development of Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, PhD in Economics. Participants discussed approaches to training personnel for the agricultural sector, ecosystems of engineering schools for biotechnologists, equipping laboratories for testing modified starches, creating microbial enzyme producers, as well as aligning industry needs with the education system.

Alexander Nekrasov, Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Human Resources Policy at the Russian Ministry of Agriculture, said: “To answer the question of approaches to training specialists, I can say that we focus on taking into account the specificities of personnel needs by individual economic activities and regions. Every year, together with the Ministry of Labour, we conduct a large‑scale employer survey. Last year, 31,500 organisations from the agricultural sector alone took part. The survey results form the basis for developing a personnel demand forecast, which then guides decisions on expanding enrolment in educational institutions or adjusting specific educational programmes.”

Lyudmila Tekutyeva, Director of the Advanced Engineering School, General Director and Founder of the ARNIKA Group of Companies, spoke online: “In response to the demand for training a new generation of highly qualified engineers capable of ensuring the country’s technological sovereignty, an ecosystem uniting science, university, and industry is being formed at Far Eastern Federal University. The creation of coordination between business, science, and government, as well as building a full chain from research and R&D to pilot and mass production of products for technological sovereignty and leadership, makes it possible not only to train a new type of biotechnologist but also to ensure the development, scaling, and implementation of biotechnologies into the country’s economy.”

Lidia Kuzina, Head of the Starch Modification Technology Laboratory at the All‑Russian Research Institute of Starch and Starch‑Containing Raw Materials Processing – a branch of the Federal Research Centre for Potato named after A.G. Lorch, stated: “Equipping a laboratory for testing modified starches requires an integrated approach, because quality and safety control covers a wide range of indicators — from physicochemical properties to microbiological characteristics. The use of modern analytical equipment and the choice of solutions validated by practice ensure the reliability of results and form the basis for standardisation and development of the industry.”

Alexander Fedorov, PhD in Biology, Leading Researcher at the National Bioresource Centre – All‑Russian Collection of Industrial Microorganisms, National Research Centre “Kurchatov Institute”, noted: “Modern genetic engineering approaches make it possible to create highly efficient microbial producer strains that underpin industrial biotechnology and provide enzymes, amino acids, organic acids, and other sought‑after products with world‑class characteristics. The use of overproducer strains developed at the BRC VKPM opens up opportunities for cooperation between the Kurchatov Institute NRC and domestic biotech enterprises for the competitive production of ingredients used in and obtained from the conversion of starch‑containing raw materials, as well as for the sustainable functioning of the bioeconomy.”

Ekaterina Titova, Leading Researcher at the Research Institute for Education Development of Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, PhD in Economics, summarised: “Training personnel for the bioeconomy requires a rethinking of approaches: educational programmes must be directly linked to the real needs of industry. The involvement of business in specialist training and the creation of a common language between industry and the academic community play a key role, enabling the translation of technologies into the content of educational programmes.”

The anniversary conference “ProKrakhmal‑2026” brought together 130 participants from 60 companies in Russia and abroad. Over its 10‑year history, the event has become not just an industry tradition but a gathering point for professionals: this year featured 28 expert presentations, stands from 9 sponsors, 18 hours of networking, and the support of 63 information partners. “The main outcome of the two days — ProKrakhmal — is a space for direct dialogue between business, government, and science, where both the current market situation and the overall development strategy of the industry are discussed,” concluded Oleg Radin, President of the Association of Grain Deep Processing Enterprises.