Australia: Western Australia expected to report better quality for malting barley this year

Barley growers across Australia are expected to benefit from a global shortage of malting grade grain, ABC Rural reported on November, 17.

There's an estimated 23 million tonne deficit between the amount of malting barley the world produces and the demand from the brewing industry, some analysts believe.

Western Australian barley growers are most likely to benefit from the shortage, as eastern states growers battle wet weather and possible damage to grain.

Rob Dickie, barley markey manager from CBH Grain, says the shortage is also pushing up prices for WA barley on the domestic market.

"There's a price spread of anywhere between A$20 and A$40 dollars a tonne in comparison to the east coast," he said.

"That's because of the deficit here. The demand from domestic maltsters and brewers is much more in excess of the production that we're going to have this year because of the drought."

24 November, 2010