Regarding old crop, malting barley markets remained inactive and depressed. The SARS disease makes it unlikely that China will come in the market for additional large purchases. Some interest from South America will not clean out the available stocks. New crop barley was initially under further pressure from the larger spring barley acreage and bad news from the malt sector. It turned around with the growing concern about dryness and stayed at the somewhat higher levels in spite of the recent rains.

13 May, 2003