World: Barley supply and demand for 2005/06 estimated by IGC

International Grains Council (IGC) published on January 26 its estimated total barley production for 2005/2006 at 137 million tonnes, 2 million tonnes up from previous IGC’s estimation. The main increase was in Australia, where rains benefited yields.

Forecast consumption in 2005/06 is also higher than before, at 143 million tonnes, following increases in non-feed use in several countries.

World barley trade is forecast at 17.3 million tonnes, slightly less than in November. Iran may import more feed barley than previously projected, but Russia’s malting barley imports are smaller. IGC commented: “In the barley market, trading was relatively subdued, with Black Sea export quotations drifting a little lower in the face of competition from EU intervention sales and new supplies entering markets from Australia.”

Stocks at the end of 2005/06 are put at 21.9 million tonnes, 0.2 million tonnes more than previously forecast, but 5 million tonnes less than a year earlier, with big reductions in the EU and Russia.

According to IGC main barley market events since 24 November 2005 are as follows:

On December 14, 2005 Jordan bought 100,000 tonnes of feed barley (plus 100,000 tonnes on 18 January 2006). On January 13 Tunisia bought 75,000 tonnes of barley.

E-malt.com, the global information source for the brewing and malting industry professionals. The bi-weekly E-malt.com Newsletters feature latest industry news, statistics in graphs and tables, world barley and malt prices, and other relevant information. Click here to get full access to E-malt.com. If you are a Castle Malting client, you can get free access to E-malt.com website and publications. Contact us for more information at marketing@castlemalting.com .