World: Barley crop around 8 mln tonnes smaller this year than in 2016

According to the latest IGC report, the world barley crop amounts to 142 mln tonnes vs. 150 mln last year, closing stocks will drop from 31 to 28 mln tonnes, a normal carry-over during the past years, however, possibly lower as per market reports, H. M. Gauger GmbH said in their September report.

New supplies of feed barley are unchanged in Western Europe, sharply up in Eastern Europe, low in Canada and the U.S., lower than last year in the southern hemisphere.

The crop forecast for Australia has improved after good rains over large parts of the country, private sources deem a crop of 8.0 to 9.0 mln tonnes possible.

Argentina’s acreage is said to be 720 – 730,000 ha, the crop forecast 2.5 – 3.0 mln tonnes, exports 1.5 – 1.8 mln tonnes.

Saudi imports, still large, have dropped from higher levels of former years. Chinese imports, also of feed barley, are much larger than expected. At present feed barley is trading at a stiff premium above corn and feed wheat.

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