EU: Maltsters booked export licences 260,000 tonnes less than a year ago
EU maltsters booked export licences for 1.333 million tonnes from July 2006 until end March 2007, 260,000 tonnes less than a year ago. Last year the pace of exports picked up during the last quarter of the campaign.
This year it looks as if total exports for 2006/07 will fall short of last years number by 350 400,000 tonnes. Due to larger local demand, factory closures and smaller production, EU malt is virtually sold out for the whole of 2007, and the lower export figures do not create any market pressure at all.