World: France malting barley situation attracts increasing interest globally

The main point of interest in malting barley globally is in France, where prices are higher on the increasing concerns about late planting of spring barley, RMI Analytics said in their latest report.

Elsewhere, prices are mostly steady as there is barley to sell but few buyers present in a dismal demand environment. After considerable time where barley prices moved in step with other crops, like corn and wheat, there is now more market direction coming from barley fundamentals.

Malting barley prices have fallen dramatically from the peak prices in June 2022, and increasingly there is a view the decline may be showing signs of levelling. At the moment, French prices are due to seeding delays in France, and to a view that global demand will eventually recover (sometime in 2024).

Market structure is unchanged with France leading the price ladder, with Australia and Argentina being the most competitive origins globally. Canada is in between but showing signs of trying to be more competitive to markets like China, the analysts said.

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