New crop prospects are good in Western Europe, fair to poor in Eastern Europe and fully dependent on rainfalls in North America and Australia. In view of the bad damage to winter grains in Russia and Ukraine and to a lesser extent all over Central and Eastern Europe, Germany and France the acreage of spring barley will be extended. However, late planting in the CEEC will affect yields. Trade in feed barley will possibly get a boost from little availability of Russian and Ukrainian feed wheat.

11 April, 2003