Australia: Barley crop 2017/18 forecast at better-than-average 10 mln tonnes

Private sources estimate last year's barley crop in Australia at 14 mln tonnes and anticipate a smaller, but better than average crop of 10 mln tonnes for 2017/18, H. M. Gauger GmbH said in their May report.

Thanks to the insatiable Chinese demand total barley exports will have passed the 5 mln tonnes mark already by the end of April. The USDA expects total exports for the crop year of 8.1 mln tonnes, the trade a higher number.

As domestic and malt export requirements are about 3 mln tonnes, there will be no burdensome carry-over at all into the next crop year, the Gauger analysts said.