Australia: Harvest is done 70-80 % in the West, South and NSW, but only half in Victoria. ABARE lowered its barley crop forecast from 7.29 to 6.223 million tonnes. Other forecasts are 6.86 million tonnes by AWF, but 5.58 million tonnes by an industry source. Australia experienced dry conditions, frost and heat during the vegetation season, mostly in the West, South and Victoria. The usually drier states New South Wales and Queensland did better this year and harvested crops similar to last year’s.

The unfavourable weather affected the quality adversely, mainly the grain size, viz. 20 % screenings in malting barley. Protein is alright, 10-11 %. ABARE estimates a selection of malting barley of 2.2 million tonnes vs. 2.9 million tonnes last year, other sources expect max. 1.4 million tonnes, of which no more than 6-700,000 tons can be exported. It would leave a feed barley surplus of 1.8-1.9 million tonnes.

15 December, 2004