USA: USDA changes Ukraine's export forecasts for barley

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has revised down its forecast for Ukrainian barley exports and revised up its forecast for corn exports, Prime-Tass Business News Agency announced December 13.

Ukraine's barley exports should total 4.3 million tonnes in the 2006-07 marketing year (October-September), down 400,000 tonnes from a previous estimate, the USDA said in its December grain trade report. The USDA revised up its corn export forecast by 200,000 tonnes to 2 million tonnes.

The USDA cited the Ukrainian government's introduction of a quota on barley exports as the reason for the downward revision of barley exports. However, at the same time a similar quota on corn exports is unlikely to seriously hamper exports, the USDA said.

"Greater supplies will likely result in higher exports, despite government action to restrict licenses," the USDA said.

In 2005-06, Ukraine exported 2.24 million tonnes of corn and 4.926 million tonnes of barley.