China: 2005/06 barley crop estimated at 3.5 million t
USDA and IGC, working with official Chinese figures, estimate the Chinese barley crop at 3.5 million t vs. 3.4 million t last year, experts believe. Winter barley is being harvested now, high moisture, dark colour, 12.5-14 % protein (1 % less than last year). Spring barley will be harvested starting late August.
Crops look fine in Gansu and Xinjiang, while it is too dry in Hebai and Heilongjiang. Better varieties and greater care, especially on state farms, have improved Chinese malting barley over the past years.
Imports of malting barley, expected to be higher every year by the trade, have indeed never risen at the same level as beer production. In January-May 2006 imports were 1.0 million t, forecasts for the whole year range from 2.0 to 2.4 million t. Last year prices of Chinese barley matched prices of imported barley. 2007 crop winter barley from state farms is US $ 10,- per ton cheaper than No. 1 malting barley from Australia, such a discount cannot be attractive for the large seaboard maltsters. As earlier mentioned, the 2005/06 world barley crop is estimated at 147 million t.
IGC estimates the world barley crop at 147 million t vs. 140 million t last year. Experts believe they have very good prospects in Western Russia and Ukraine, apparently a large crop in China, only average results in Europe and North America, where heat and dryness could still affect yields and qualities, and an alarming drought in Australia.
The crop of 2006/07 is not quantified yet.
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