China: Chinese barley imports are to increase slightly in 2005-2006
During January-October 2005 China imported about 1.88 million metric tonnes of barley. Total imports for 2005-2006 should be at around 2.1 million metric tonnes, USDA revealed in its Grain Report on December 12. USDAs estimations for Chinese malt imports for 2004-2005 are of 2 million metric tonnes.
Chinese barley consumption for 2005-2006 is forecast by USDA at 5 million metric tonnes compared to 4.9 million metric tonnes in 2004-2005 and 4.7 million metric tonnes in 2003-2004.
Chinese barley production for 2005-2006 is forecast by USDA at 2.8 million metric tonnes compared to 2.9 million metric tonnes in 2004-2005 and 2.72 million metric tonnes in 2003-2004.