EU: EU malt exporters fixed licences for shipments of 1.21 million tonnes

EU malt exporters fixed licences for shipments of 1.210 million tonnes from July 1, 2005 until January 24, 2006, 118,000 tonnes less than a year ago. But converted to a year figure, bookings could reach 2.170 million tonnes, only 50,000 tonnes less than in 2004/05. Last year, fixations fell sharply in the latter half of the campaign.

Pessimistic expectations earlier in the crop year had put EU malt exports as low as 1.8 million tonnes. This seems to be wrong by now, and it can be hoped that losses versus the year before will not be too great. Quantity losses to Russia and Japan were at least partly compensated by larger deliveries to South America, Africa and Southeast Asia.