South America: Mercosur harvested a very good crop of malting barley: Brazil 300 thousand tonnes, Uruguay 300 thousand tonnes, Argentina 7-800 thousand tonnes. Quality is the best since years, except some very low protein in Argentina. Barley needs for malting are 360 thousand tonnes in Brazil, 270 thousand tonnes in Uruguay and 470 thousand tonnes in Argentina, which leaves a surplus of 2-300 thousand tonnes for the region. Exports abroad are unlikely due to high freight cost and the handicap of too low protein for customers abroad.

04 February, 2004