EU: Central Europe spring malting barley shortage forecast at around 200 thousand tonnes

Heat and lack of rain hit the region along the borders of Austria, Moravia, Slovakia and Hungary, H. M. Gauger GmbH reported on August 2.

Austria reports extremely poor yields and qualities. The import demand is seen at 100 – 125,000 tonnes.

The first official crop estimate of the Czech Republic pegs winter barley at 517,000 tonnes (-19% y/y), spring barley at 1.162 mln tonnes (-3.8%). In Bohemia and North Moravia damages are limited, therefore the country may just have enough malting barley for its own needs.

Slovakia is expecting a 20 – 25% below average winter barley crop: 130 – 140,000 tonnes. Spring barley was planted on smaller acreage this year, 71,000 ha vs. 81,400 ha last year, production is therefore projected at 250 – 270,000 tonnes. A large gap of 100 – 150,000 tonnes of malting barley remains to be covered from outside, the Gauger analysts said.

Hungary reports reasonably good conditions in the south, barley production may be a bit larger than the local demand of 85,000 tonnes.

Altogether Central Europe looks short of at least 200,000 tonnes of spring malting barley, the analysts estimate.

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