Malt export licence fixations in 2003/04 had been a record 2.432 million tonnes in the EU-15. The fast pace of licence bookings continued in July, 226,719 tonnes would result in a total of 2.7 million tonnes for the whole of 2004/05, if that pace continued. That, however, seems impossible. Nevertheless, the good beginning of the new export year should reduce the anxieties of the malting industry that it cannot sell its production any more after the increase of capacities in the EU and Eastern Europe.

11 August, 2004