New Zealand: The malting industry says it is too soon to know if a shortage of good quality barley will have any impact on the price of beer, NewstalkZB posted on March 18. Floods in the lower North Island and drought in the South mean there is a shortage of top quality barley for malting.

New Zealand normally processes 45,000 tonnes of barley a year for malt for the brewing industry. It is all produced at the International Malting Company in Marton, which says it may be necessary to import grain to make up any shortfall. A spokesman says they are still assessing the situation.

23 March, 2004