India: Maltsters expected to import around 50,000 tonnes of Argentinean barley next month

In May, Indian malt companies will import around 50,000 tonnes of barley from Argentina, of which 35,000 tonnes will be bought by United Breweries Ltd and the rest by Haryana-based Barmalt Malting India Ltd, a source told Cogencis.

It is estimated that the coarse grain will be bought at $260-$270 per tonne on a cost and freight basis, and the shipment will reach Adani Port in Gujarat in the last week of May, the source said.

In February, malt makers had imported around 70,000 tonnes of barley.

Currently, the barley market is seeing a supply crunch as arrivals are limited while demand from domestic stockists is on the rise. Due to this, malt makers have turned to imports to meet their requirements, said the owner of a malt company based in Jaipur.

According to the agriculture ministry's second advance estimate, India's barley output in 2018-19 (Jul-Jun) is seen at 1.92 mln tonnes, compared with 1.99 mln tonnes the previous year.