EU & UK: Winter barley supplies too negligible to reduce demand for spring significantly

Negligible supplies of winter barley in the UK, Germany, and Poland reduce the EU�s spring barley demand only by 300-400 thousand tonnes, H. M. Gauger GmbH reported earlier in October.

France harvested approximately 8.4 mln tonnes of six-row winter barley, and can select 2.4 � 2.6 mln tonnes of malting barley.

Demand in France and the EU in general is always flexible, but very strong this year. The premium of the 6row-winter varieties above feed barley is attractive for the farmer, the discount below 2RS barley attractive for the brewer/maltster.

At present the HM Gauger GmbH analysts calculate an EU consumption of 1.8 mln tonnes, and a surplus (on paper) of 600 - 800 thousand tonnes.