France: Malt output totals 1.5 mln tonnes last year

In 2016/17, 1.9 mln ha of barley were harvested in France, which represents 20% of the nation’s all grain-seeded area, Passion Cereales said in its latest report.

France’s total barley production in 2016/17 was 10.3 mln tonnes (-20% versus 2015), of which 5.2 mln tonnes were exported.

Malting barley crop amounted to more than 3 mln tonnes last year, of which 75% were shipped abroad, it is reported.

The nation’s 15 malting plants transformed 1.7 mln tonnes of malting barley into malt in 2016/17, the malt output thus totalling 1.5 mln tonnes. Since 1967, the nation has been the world’s leading malt exporter shipping to foreign customers 80% of its total output, or 1.2 mln tonnes. According to analysts, 15% of all beers brewed in the world are produced from French malting barley and malt.

With around 21 mln hl of beer produced in 2016, France is ranked Europe’s sixth-largest beer maker after Germany, the UK, Poland, Spain, and the Netherlands. The nation exported 34% of its total beer output last year, or 6.9 mln hl. France’s annual per capita beer consumption is estimated at 31 litre.

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