EU: Barley exports start slowly this crop year

EU�s barley exports started slowly in the new crop year. Shipments from July till 28 September were 1.864 mln tonnes, 14% less than a year ago, H. M. Gauger GmbH said in their October report.

Main exporters were France with 827 thousand tonnes, Romania with 507, and Germany 279 thousand tonnes, main destinations - China 794 (from France) and Saudi Arabia 633 thousand tonnes.

France is concentrating on sales to China, Romania and Ukraine are well sold, therefore the bulk of European exports (except for China) in the coming months will originate from Russia and the EU North Sea/Baltic ports.

As Chinese, Mediterranean and Latin American demand looks larger than shown in official supply & demand reports, feed barley markets are expected to be firmer, and malting barley could become tight towards the end of the campaign, the Gauger analysts said.