Ukraine: This marketing year (July 2003-June 2004) Ukraine has exported about one million tonnes of barley and corn and it will stop supplies on foreign contracts starting from January due to high inner prices. Vice-Premier Ivan Kyrylenko made a statement to sell barley and corn on the inner market is more profitable, as the prices are higher in Ukraine than abroad. As reported earlier, the Ukrainian Grain Association forecasted that the barley exports would make 1.2 million tonnes this marketing year.

In November 2003 Ukraine exported 160,000 tonnes of barley - 19 % down from October. Average contract price in November dropped to $126.9 per tonne from $140 per tonne in October. As in the previous months the main volume in November went to Saudi Arabia - 129,000 tonnes, or 81.1 %. Hungary and UK bought 14,600 tonnes and 13,100 tonnes (these were the first supplies of Ukrainian barley to these countries in the 2003/04 MY).

Totally over the first five months of the marketing year (July to November) Ukraine exported 874,000 tonnes of barley against 1.7 million tonnes over the corresponding period the year before.

Import of barley to Ukraine in November constituted 6,100 tonnes against 4,800 tonnes in October. Nearly all the import (5,600 tonnes or 92 %) was represented by malting barley, supplied from Denmark. Over the first five months of the season the import constituted 19,300 tonnes, while over the whole 2002/03 MY the import had been 19,700 tonnes.

23 January, 2004