EU: Malt sales/purchase programs more or less completed for this year

EU maltsters and brewers have more or less completed their sales/purchase programs for the present calendar year, H. M. Gauger GmbH reported earlier this month.

Malt sales for 2018 are reported still well below 50%. Brewers had waited - so far vainly - for lower barley markets and have now completely withdrawn from the market, industry sources report.

Container freight to Southeast Asia has jumped from extremely low levels to a high of USD 1500,- for 20 ft. container. The long structural crisis of the container traffic has led to one major bankruptcy and subsequently to a concerted limitation of container space by the relevant ship owners. Present rates make EU maltsters hopelessly uncompetitive in Asia. The firmer Euro against the U.S. Dollar is another obstacle for sales outside the Euro area.