E-Malt.com News article: 1611

Australians may not be consuming beer like they used to but the future for malting barley growers looks pretty bright, according to Lion Nathan's director of logistics and supply, Stephen Lewis, The Northern Daily Leader reported in a statement. Lion Nathan brews beers like Tooheys New, Four X, Hahn and boutique brews like James Squire Malt Shovel brands. It also exports beers into the Pacific and brews beer in China. An overview of the Australian market presented by Lion Nathan Australia to a consumer products and retail conference late last June revealed that in the decade up until 2002 consumption per capita fell from about 103 litres a year to about 88 litres a year. Each year Lion Nathan spends about $45 million on buying malt for its Australian interests and Mr Lewis said the potential for barley growers was also increasing. "Australia is the world's leading exporter of barley, followed by Canada," he said. "There are only 50 or so countries that produce barley [for malting] in the world. "There are 140 to 150 that brew beer, so the market for barley is growing." Mr Lewis said countries in Asia were increasing their consumption of the amber drop while Russia was considered a growth area for brewers.

Mr Lewis was in Tamworth on September 24 as part of a tour organised by Joe White Maltings. The barley examined by the tour is yet to be named, although plant breeder from the Victorian Department of Primary Industries David Moody says its research name is VB9926 (the VB stands for Victorian barley – not the popular green labelled bitter beer). Mr Moody said the trial variety had the potential to boost yields by 10 % on the variety grimmett (named after the popular Australian test cricket spin bowler), which was one of the favoured strains grown in northern NSW. VB9926 was bred for southern grain areas but could kick-start barley growing in the north of this State and in southern Queensland due to its high levels of disease resistance.


26 September, 2003