On September 5, 2026, the highly anticipated 8th China Grain Trade Conference officially opened at the Changsha International Convention and Exhibition Center. As the highest-level, largest, and most far-reaching national comprehensive exhibition in the country's grain industry, this year's conference is being held in Hunan for the first time since its inception in 2018. Grain enterprises, industry institutions, and buyers from across the country have gathered in Changsha to explore new opportunities and pathways for the high-quality development of the grain industry.
The conference is hosted by the Grain Trade Coordination Center of the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration, and co-organized by the Grain Industry Sub-Council of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the National Grain Hunan Trading Center. Themed "Safeguarding National Grain Security through Synergistic Efforts, Promoting Development via Production and Marketing Integration," the event closely aligns with the national food security strategy. It aims to deepen the integration of production and marketing and drive the upgrading of the entire grain industry chain by building a high-level platform for exchange and cooperation. The conference features six core segments: the opening ceremony, the High-Quality Products and Technical Equipment Exhibition, production and marketing matchmaking and promotion, investment promotion and contract signing, dedicated grain trading sessions, and concurrent thematic events. These segments comprehensively cover the entire industry chain, from grain production, storage, and processing to consumption, providing all-round and multi-dimensional exhibition and matchmaking opportunities for the industry.
In terms of exhibition scale, the event covers a gross floor area of approximately 95,000 square meters. The venue is scientifically planned and features 13 distinctive exhibition zones, including the lobby, the Hunan Special Exhibition Area, the Consumption Assistance Zone for Regions Lifted out of Poverty, the High-Quality Grain and Edible Oil Products Zone, the Grain and Edible Oil Machinery and Equipment Zone, the International Zone, the University Talent and Achievements Zone, the Scientific Research Zone, the Financial Services Zone, the Food Tasting Area, the Livestreaming Area, the Promotion Area, and the Business Negotiation Area. Notably, the conference has dedicated a 3,000-square-meter international exhibition area to facilitate foreign trade matchmaking and international cooperation, further enhancing the event's international profile. Concurrently, the 6th National Exhibition and Sales Fair of High-Quality and Characteristic Grain and Edible Oil Products from Regions Lifted out of Poverty is being held. By centrally promoting specialty grain and oil products from these regions, the fair translates concrete actions into support for rural revitalization, highlighting the grain industry's social responsibility and commitment.
As the host of this year's conference, Hunan has showcased its robust strength as a "Granary of the Nation." The Hunan Special Exhibition Area has become the focal point of the event, featuring the grand debut of four major regional public brands: "Dongting Fragrant Rice," "Hunan Rapeseed Oil," "Huxiang Coarse Grains," and "Hunan Rice Noodles." This not only provides a comprehensive display of Hunan's fruitful achievements in the production, processing, and brand building of high-quality grain and edible oils, but also sends a strong signal to buyers nationwide and globally regarding the vigorous momentum of Hunan's high-quality grain industry development. Driven by a brand-oriented strategy, Hunan is accelerating its transition from a major grain province to a powerhouse in the grain sector.
To enhance transaction effectiveness, the conference is complemented by a rich array of promotional and matchmaking events. Major grain-producing and consuming provinces, including Xinjiang, Shaanxi, and Jiangsu, have held dedicated promotion sessions to showcase their characteristic and advantageous products as well as industrial investment policies. Keeping pace with the digital economy, the conference has also set up professional livestreaming rooms to empower enterprises in conducting online livestream sales, thereby broadening sales channels for agricultural products. Leveraging the National Grain Trading Platform, the event has organized face-to-face matchmaking and negotiations between production and marketing enterprises. Through the integration of online and offline channels, supply and demand information is precisely matched, turning cooperation intentions into concrete signed orders and ensuring the effective implementation of partnerships.
Since its inception in 2018, the China Grain Trade Conference has been successfully held for seven sessions in Heilongjiang, Henan, Fujian, Hubei, and Liaoning, accumulating profound industry influence. As a national-level comprehensive exhibition, the conference has consistently played an irreplaceable role in promoting grain circulation, deepening production and marketing cooperation, and boosting rural revitalization. Its debut in Hunan not only represents a strong recognition of Hunan's achievements in grain industry development but also serves as a crucial opportunity to drive the coordinated development of the grain industry in central China and across the country.
It is reported that this year's conference will last for three days, concluding on September 7. Over the remaining days, various exhibitions, promotional events, contract signings, and thematic activities will be held in intensive succession. The event is expected to yield fruitful transaction results and consensus on cooperation, injecting strong new momentum into the security and high-quality development of China's grain industry.