EU & UK: Barley production to rebound slightly in 2025

For crop’25, the expectation is for the EU27+UK barley production to rebound slightly to 57.9 mln tonnes, up 0.6 mln from crop’24, RMI Analytics said in their first report of this year.

Winter barley production is recovering in France (after last year’s poor result), Germany, and parts of the UK, although some flooding has created a need to replant in certain regions. The lack of extreme cold weather is supporting a winter barley development and beyond the moisture received in northern France and south-western Germany, conditions across Europe are generally dry. With spring planting coming on the horizon, this lack of moisture needs to be monitored going forward.

The anticipated winter barley rebound in France is expected to increase exports in the crop’25 shipping season.

With winter crops progressing in a generally good way, a small boost in production increases ending stocks, and despite an expected increase in exports leaves the European balance sheet comfortable. However, much of this comfort comes from the expectation spring area holds steady across Europe, and not down sharply as anticipated in the UK, the analysts said.