EU: First barley reports from France and Germany are very positive

First barley crop reports from France and South Germany are very positive, but still without details, H. M. Gauger GmbH said earlier this month.

In East Germany, there is a report from Saxony about lower yields of winter barley, and one from Thuringia expecting 10% lower yields than average for spring barley.

The heat wave will take a toll, but has not destroyed the barley crops. One exception is the Iberian Peninsula: ACCOE, the Spanish farmers association, expects a barley production of 6.2 mln tonnes, 27.5% less than last year.

The UK will try to ship 100-200,000 tonnes of barley before the Brexit date of October 31.

The analysts assume that Finland, the Baltic States, the Balkan and the Mediterranean countries will be self-sufficient or even produce small surpluses, which will go to neighbouring deficit countries like Poland or Slovakia, but will have little chance to be sold to Western Europe, because there is no demand for it and transport cost is high.

Likewise, Western Europe has little opportunity to be sold to Central and Eastern EU on account of too expensive transport cost (except Danish barley to Poland?). Any gaps in Central/Eastern EU are traditionally filled with winter barley.