With the lowest grain production in almost 40 years, Eastern Europe this year has turned from a net exporter to a major grain importer. Poor harvests in the EU and the Former Soviet Union—Eastern Europe’s traditional suppliers—have also created opportunities for the United States, Canada, and even Brazil to make significant sales into the region. Barley exports from Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria are expected to drop by more than three-quarters to only 70,000 tonnes, while imports are forecast to double to nearly 300,000 tonnes, USDA reported on March 11, 2004.

In 2003/2004 Australia barley export increases by 300,000 tonnes to 4.6 million tones in light of ample exportable supplies, USDA said in the same report. Turkey barley export is halved to 150,000 tonnes in 2003/2004 based on a tight domestic situation.

16 March, 2004