World: Maltsters and brewers are warned not to wait with their barley purchases
Barley is a very special item this year. The club of four exporters Argentina, Canada, France, and Ukraine - has replaced Australia for supplies to China, H. M. Gauger GmbH reported earlier in February.
In the past few months there has been a price difference averaging USD 20,- per tonne between China suppliers and the other barley shippers, market sources report.
On the other hand Australia has harvested a record crop of almost 14 mln tonnes, which it must sell somewhere except China. Pricewise barley is an attractive feeder, and market prospects are very friendly.
Malting barley is a neglected item. Is the industry really covered for 2021? China has been absent from the market, but they cannot work with upgraded feed barley alone.
The large groups in South America have not booked their full quantities of crop 2020/21. Single purchases like AB InBevs for Mexico are exceptional and widely reported.
In view of the Chinese appetite for feed barley maltsters/brewers are warned not to wait with their purchases, till too much barley has been given up to the feed sector or shipping slots have been taken away by other commodities.
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