USA & Canada: Barley acres expected to drop both in the US and Canada

Barley acres in the U.S. are forecast at 1.03 mln ha, 200,000 ha down from last year, H. M. Gauger GmbH said in their latest report earlier in April.

Barley is a specialty crop in the US, and farmers reacted to large old crop supplies and the reduction of growing contracts by maltsters.

Canada acres are expected to be down, too, by 240,000 ha to 2.35 mln ha. Feed barley markets in Western Canada are under pressure of other feeders.

U.S. and Canadian barley is uncompetitive in world markets, but China will always take a few cargoes of high-diastatic malting barley, the Gauger analysts said.