UK: Barley Supply and Demand for UK, updated in December 2005

According to the Defra cereal supply and demand estimates for 2005/06, UK barley production has been left unchanged at 5.55Mt, HGCA posted on December 14. No changes have been made to opening stock or import estimates. Total availability stands at 6.56Mt, down 3% on last season. Human and Industrial use in the barley sector has been left unchanged at 1.72Mt, down 3% on last season. Animal feed use of barley remains forecast at 3.02Mt, down 4% on last season.

Barley exports and intervention have been raised by 35,000 tonnes from the October forecast to 0.68Mt. This is following a correction to the commercial closing stocks figure, which has now been set at the 5-year average of 0.97Mt (6% higher than last season). Barley exports to end-
September were 0.20Mt compared to 0.25Mt last season.

Maltsters and distillers barley usage, at 0.56Mt, was 45,000 tonnes lower (7%) on last season.
Maltsters barley stocks to end- September were 0.96Mt, up 85,000 tonnes (10%) on last season.

Barley usage by retail compounders was 0.17Mt to end-October, down 69,000 tonnes (29%) on last season. This is in-line with forecasts and the equivalent rise in wheat usage.

Barley intervention stocks by the end of October stood at 15,000 tonnes. This compared to zero tonnes of barley for the same point last season. To date, an additional 13,000 tonnes of barley is under offer.

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