International Grains Council

What International Grains Council does

The International Grains Council (IGC) is an intergovernmental organisation constituted under the Grains Trade Convention 1995, operating continuously through a series of multilateral cooperation instruments since 1949. Headquartered in London at One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, with a small secretariat of 11–50 staff, IGC provides independent market analysis, daily trade-weighted price indices (the Grains and Oilseeds Index, GOI; and the Grains and Oilseeds Freight Index, GOFI) and a supply-and-demand database covering 100+ countries across 22 commodity markets including cereals, oilseeds, rice, pulses and processed products such as biofuels and flour. The Council serves both public-sector members (50+ parties to the GTC 1995, including the EU, US, UK, Russia, Ukraine, Argentina, Australia, Canada, India, Japan, Saudi Arabia and others) and private-sector subscribers, and acts as a treaty-based forum for dialogue on grains trade and food security.

IGC's product portfolio consists of subscription data products sold through an online storefront in GBP, USD and EUR (Grain Market Indicators weekly at £830/yr; Ocean Freight Rate at £1,060/yr; Grain Market Report monthly at £900/yr; World Grain Statistics annual at £760/yr; Grain Shipments; GMR & Trade plus; and bundled Subscriber Packages A/B at £1,700/£2,200), free public access to daily GOI/GOFI values and G20 supply/demand data, the annual IGC Grains Conference (250+ participants) and regular multilingual webinars. Underlying technology includes a real-time maritime shipping data dashboard integrated with the WTO global trade data portal, a 75+ year historical database and a multilingual publication pipeline (English, French, Russian, Spanish, Arabic).

The business model combines three revenue streams: (1) member-government annual contributions proportionate to each country's share of world trade in grains, rice and oilseeds, financing a FY2025/26 Secretariat budget of £1.996 million; (2) private-sector subscription revenue from data products and bundled packages; and (3) conference sponsorships and delegate fees from flagship partners including Bayer, Microsoft, Kpler, Corteva, CropLife International, DP World, USSEC, the International Seed Federation and the Glyphosate Renewal Group. IGC is governed by a rotating Chairperson (Dr Amy Little, Australia, for 2025/26) and Vice-Chairperson (Kotaro Higuma, Japan) and operates as a member of the AMIS G20 Secretariat since October 2012, with no equity owners and no parent entity.

Name

International Grains Council

Legal name

International Grains Council

Website

https://igc.int

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The International Grains Council is a London-based intergovernmental organisation operating under the Grains Trade Convention 1995, providing market data, trade-weighted indices (GOI, GOFI), and supply-and-demand analysis across 22 commodity markets and 100+ countries to 50+ member governments and private-sector subscribers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Market Intelligence

NAICS

Commodity Contracts Intermediation (52316)

SIC

Commodity Contracts Brokers & Dealers (6221)

akta.pro primary industry

Agricultural Commodities Exchanges (Grains, Oilseeds, Livestock) (FSAFAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Commodity Market Data, Pricing & Benchmark Administrators (Commodity Indices/Assessments) (FSAFAMAJ)

Keywords

• Agricultural market data
• Grains market intelligence
• Commodity trade analysis
• Ocean freight indices
• Supply demand statistics

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Subscription data products (GMI, GMR, Ocean Freight Rate, World Grain Statistics, Grain Shipments, GMR & Trade plus): Recurring subscription revenue from private-sector subscribers for weekly, monthly and annual market data reports and analytics products sold through the IGC online storefront in GBP, USD and EUR.
2. Member government contributions: Annual contributions from member states, proportionate to each member's share of world trade in grains, rice and oilseeds, financing the operations of the Council. Fiscal 2025/26 (Jul/Jun) budget set at £1.996 million.
3. Conference sponsorships and delegate passes: Sponsorship revenue from corporate partners and paid delegate passes for the annual IGC Grains Conference (London Grains Week). Multiple tiers available (Lead, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Cocktail Reception, Conference Lunch, Session, Online Registration, Associate, Brand, Mobile App, etc.).
4. Subscriber Package bundles: Bundled subscription packages (Package A from £1,700 / $2,210 / €2,006; Package B from £2,200 / $2,860 / €2,596) combining GMR Markets & Trade Plus, World Grain Statistics, Grain Shipments, and Ocean Freight Rates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The International Grains Council (IGC) is an intergovernmental organisation that provides objective market analysis, data and consultation on global grains, oilseeds, rice and pulses markets across 22 commodity markets. It sells subscription-based market reports, weekly indicators, freight indices, statistical compendia and trade data products to governments, traders, banks and agribusiness stakeholders, and also convenes an annual grains conference.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Grain Market Indicators (GMI): Weekly web-based report covering market developments for wheat, maize, barley, sorghum, oats, rye, rice, pulses, soyabeans, rapeseed/canola and derivative products, plus ocean freight; published every Wednesday.
• Ocean Freight Rate
• Grain Market Report (GMR)
• GMR & Trade plus
• World Grain Statistics
• Grain Shipments
• IGC Grains and Oilseeds Index (GOI)
• IGC Grains and Oilseeds Freight Index (GOFI)
• IGC Grains Conference
• Smart Global Grains Trade Challenge (SGGT Challenge)

Products and services

• Grain Market Indicators (GMI)
• Ocean Freight Rate Weekly digital subscription report delivering updates on more than 100 dry bulk ocean freight rates for major selected grains and oilseeds trade routes; targeted at shipping desks, traders and freight analysts.
• Grain Market Report (GMR) Monthly subscription web-based review covering supply and demand outlook for 12 commodities (grains, rice, oilseeds and pulses), with market commentary, freight market analysis and trade policy coverage; includes access to a downloadable supply and demand database for 100+ countries.
• GMR & Trade plus Web-based subscription repository providing up-to-date information and indicators on global markets for grains, rice, oilseeds and pulses, including news, sales and purchase data, weekly prices, ocean freight, monthly shipments and the monthly Grain Market Report.
• World Grain Statistics Annual subscription statistical compendium with 171 Excel-format tables covering global production, trade, exporter supply and demand, and a 10-year series of monthly export prices across grains, oilseeds and rice.
• Grain Shipments Annual subscription trade report offering 10-year trade summaries, origin and destination matrices, and monthly shipment data for grains from major exporting countries.
• Subscriber Package (A and B) Bundled subscription packages combining GMR Markets & Trade Plus, World Grain Statistics, Grain Shipments, and Ocean Freight Rates, sold at tiered annual prices in GBP, USD and EUR.
• Five-Year Baseline Supply and Demand Projections (2025/26 to 2030/31) New subscription publication providing comprehensive analysis and detailed five-year projections of supply and demand for wheat, maize, rice and soyabeans through to 2030/31, with summary world balances for other grains and oilseeds, and downloadable country-level Excel datasets.

Named customers10 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship multilateral partnership, core regional partnership, core private-sector liaison, regional partnership, core commodities partnership, flagship co-organised programme, flagship technology partner, flagship conference sponsor, flagship conference sponsor & data partner, conference session partner, conference exhibitor, flagship government partner and core data integration partner.

• AMIS G20 Secretariat (Agricultural Market Information System)flagship multilateral partnershipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe IGC has been a member of the AMIS G20 Secretariat since October 2012, providing supply and demand forecasts for wheat, maize, soyabeans and rice, as well as export price monitoring and dry bulk freight market analysis. The AMIS initiative was established at the request of G20 Agriculture Ministers to promote food market transparency and policy coordination.
• MED-Amin (Mediterranean Agricultural Information Network)core regional partnershipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to set up an early warning system for the durum wheat market and sharing information on wheat quality across Mediterranean countries.
• International Grains Trade Coalition (IGTC)core private-sector liaisonGTM or Marketing PartnerIGTC regularly contributes to meetings of the IGC's Market Conditions Committee and Council Sessions, providing views from the private sector. IGTC is headquartered in Geneva, brings together national and international grain trade associations from six continents, and advocates for open, predictable, rules-based trade in grains, oilseeds, pulses and derived products.
• Eurasian Economic Committeeregional partnershipStrategic or Co-development PartnerA partnership with the Eurasian Economic Committee underscores the benefits of digitisation in the grains value chain across EAEU member states.
• IDACA (Institute for the Development of Agricultural Cooperation in Asia)regional partnershipStrategic or Co-development PartnerA partnership with IDACA seeks to identify key market indicators required by farmers and agricultural cooperatives in remote areas in Asia.
• GPC (Global Pulses Confederation)core commodities partnershipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative agreement aimed at boosting transparency in world markets for pulses, which form an important and growing part of diets across the globe.
• IMEAA Ecosystem (India Middle East Agri Alliance)flagship co-organised programmeStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership seeking deeper cooperation, robust knowledge-sharing, and inclusive agri-trade partnerships across the Global South, emphasising transparency and fair market access. Co-organiser with IGC of the Smart Global Grains Trade Challenge 2026 (SGGT Challenge).
• Microsoft (AI For Good Lab)flagship technology partnerTechnology or IntegrationMicrosoft AI For Good supports the Smart Global Grains Trade Challenge 2026 (SGGT Challenge) co-organised by IGC and IMEAA Ecosystem. Microsoft also serves as Technology Partner of the IGC Grains Conference 2026 and supports NASA Harvest work on global food security and agriculture through satellite observations.
• Bayerflagship conference sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerSustainability Partner of the IGC Grains Conference 2026. Bayer contributes to regenerative agriculture dialogue and global food systems transformation; promotes modular, rotational cropping systems across regions.
• CropLife Internationalflagship conference sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold Partner of the IGC Grains Conference 2026. CropLife International represents six of the world's leading multinational R&D companies in plant science and advocates for trade and regulatory policies that facilitate access to new technologies.
• Corteva Agriscienceflagship conference sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerInnovation Partner of the IGC Grains Conference 2026. Corteva is a global pure-play agriculture company combining industry-leading innovation in seed, crop protection and digital products and services.
• U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC)flagship conference sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver Partner of the IGC Grains Conference 2026. USSEC focuses on differentiating and attaining market access for U.S. Soy in 80+ countries; members represent the soy supply chain including U.S. Soy farmers, processors, commodity shippers and allied agribusinesses.
• Kplerflagship conference sponsor & data partnerTechnology or IntegrationTrade Intelligence Partner of the IGC Grains Conference 2026. Kpler operates the world's largest AIS and satellite network, transforming billions of data points into active intelligence for organisations and governments to understand market dynamics.
• DP Worldflagship conference sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerLogistics Partner of the IGC Grains Conference 2026. DP World operates key UAE ports, terminals and economic zones (including Jebel Ali Port and Jafza) and provides end-to-end logistics solutions supporting regional supply chains.
• International Seed Federation (ISF)flagship conference sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerSession Partner of the IGC Grains Conference 2026. ISF represents over 10,000 companies in 80 countries (including 70 national seed associations) and advocates for the global private seed sector and international plant breeding innovation.
• Glyphosate Renewal Group (GRG)conference session partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerSession Partner of the IGC Grains Conference 2026. GRG is a collection of companies seeking the renewal of the GB authorisation of the active substance glyphosate in 2026, providing scientific studies and information on glyphosate safety.
• Helios AIconference exhibitorGTM or Marketing PartnerExhibitor at the IGC Grains Conference 2026. Helios AI provides an AI-powered intelligence platform delivering daily forecasts for global wheat, corn and soybean markets across 90+ countries, spanning 75+ agricultural commodities.
• Government of Japanflagship government partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerWith the support of the Government of Japan during its 2023 G7 presidency, the IGC Secretariat launched a unique knowledge-sharing platform for producing and importing countries. This has evolved into the annual high-level dialogue between grain producing and importing countries (held 2023, 2024, 2025).
• World Trade Organization (WTO)core data integration partnerTechnology or IntegrationUsing real-time shipping data, the IGC Secretariat provides an up-to-date view of maritime wheat cargo flows through an interactive dashboard hosted via the WTO global trade data portal (globaltradedata.wto.org/real-time-data-based-on-non-wto-data-sources).

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): The FAO is a UN specialized agency that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security. Like the IGC, it provides agricultural market information and analysis globally, serving member states and stakeholders.
• International Cocoa Organization (ICCO): The ICCO is an intergovernmental organization focused on cocoa, similar in structure to the IGC for grains. It serves as a global forum for cocoa market information and policy coordination among producing and consuming countries.
• International Coffee Organization (ICO): The ICO is the main intergovernmental organization for coffee, bringing together exporting and importing countries. Like the IGC, it provides market information, statistics, and policy dialogue for its commodity.
• International Sugar Organization (ISO): The ISO is the only intergovernmental organization solely dedicated to sugar, providing market information, statistics, and policy analysis. Its structure and mandate closely parallel the IGC's role in grains.
• International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC): The ICAC is an intergovernmental body for cotton producing, consuming, and trading countries. It serves as the global forum for cotton market information and policy, with a structure similar to the IGC for grains.
• Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS): AMIS is an inter-agency platform launched at the request of G20 Agriculture Ministers to enhance food market transparency. The IGC is a partner of AMIS, and both organizations work to improve agricultural market information globally.
• International Grains Trade Coalition (IGTC): The IGTC is an international coalition of national grain trade associations representing the global grains trade industry. It works on trade policy issues that directly affect IGC member countries' grains trade and shares stakeholder overlap.

Broad incumbents

• World Trade Organization (WTO): The WTO is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations. While broader in scope, the WTO provides a multilateral framework for grains trade that complements the IGC's information services.
• OECD Agriculture and Fisheries: The OECD's Agriculture and Fisheries division provides policy analysis on global agriculture, including grains markets. While broader in scope, it produces market outlooks and policy recommendations that complement IGC's information services.

Others

• World Food Programme (WFP): The WFP is the food-assistance branch of the UN, addressing hunger and promoting food security. While not a market information body, it relies on grains market data and works closely with organizations like the IGC on food security matters.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/igcgrains
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-grains-council
• Facebookfacebook.com/InternationalGrainsCouncil

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about International Grains Council