Canada: Only 40% of the barley crop was harvested at the end of September. Rains, some frost and snow in the first half of September were followed by one week of dry and warm weather, enabling farmers to get their combines in the fields. By now cold temperatures and rains returned, what will happen to the barley still in the fields, quantities and especially quality? The CWB is not a seller at present. The Board hopes to select up to 1.5 million tonnes of malting barley to cover domestic demand, execute export sales already done to the US and South Africa and have a few hundred thousand tons more to sell abroad. So far the final result is very uncertain.

13 October, 2004