EU: An unsold surplus of 5 million tonnes of free market and intervention barley
The EU sits on an unsold surplus of 5 million tonnes of free market and intervention barley, not counting the regular annual carryover of 5.5 million tonnes, according to experts. The annual demand for feed, seed and human consumption (mainly malt) is 53 to 54 million tonnes, any quantity harvested in 2005 above that number must be exported or will be added to the existing stocks.