Argentina: Barley yield prospects look promising

Very wet conditions persist in crucial barley regions of South America, which is beneficial for crop development, although the ongoing risk of disease remains a concern. As harvest time approaches, a dry spell is much needed. For now, yield prospects look promising, and RMI Analytics’ barley crop'25 forecast stays at 5.1 million tonnes, the analysts said in their late November report.

RMI’s Argentina barley export forecast remains similar to crop’24 but the region faces intense pressure from other origins, for example Canada reporting a recent feed barley shipment to Saudi Arabia. Any drop in exports increases ending stocks.

Argentina barley prices have shown firmness, driven by feed barley, as sales of new crop feed barley and a small quantity of old crop have occurred. This trend indicates a sustained rise in sales activity, which is crucial for meeting the projected export targets for crop’25. There is limited malting barley trade, as farmers are not selling and buyers’ ideas lie at levels below FOB: USD250/tonne.