EU: Despite lower barley production, exports to-date surpass previous marketing year�s

The EU-27 barley production was 2 mln tonnes down from 2020 last year, but barley exports to third countries to-date amount to 4.9 mln tonnes vs. 4.3 mln tonnes in 2020/21, H. M. Gauger GmbH reported earlier in February.

Malt shipments in barley equivalent were 1.7 mln tonnes.

French figures are still missing for January, but port line-ups show a French loading program of 200,000 tonnes of barley during the month. The real total for July-January will come close to 7.0 mln tonnes, 75% of the forecast for the whole crop year. The largest exporters were France with 2.4 mln tonnes, Romania with 1.55 mln, and Germany with 0.7 mln tonnes; the top destination was China with 2.0 mln tonnes.

French sources speak of a remaining unsold surplus of 40 thousand tonnes of old crop barley, English traders believe 50 thousand tonnes are still available, more feed than malting barley. Denmark and Sweden are sold out. There is some doubt, whether the German industry is fully covered. No surprise, a first import from Argentina is arriving at Antwerp. Most market prices are nominal, and markets had come down by a few euros in an long tradeless period. Recently, however, a few trades have been reported.