EU: Central Europe reports predominantly poor barley crop results this year
As per Eurostat’s latest estimates, Austria’s winter barley acreage is 93 thousand ha this year (86 thousand ha in 2017), whereas spring barley has been planted on 47 thousand ha (53 thousand last year), H. M. Gauger GmbH said in their July report.
In the Czech Republic, farmers planted 109 thousand ha to winter barley (97 thousand last year) and 235 thousand ha to spring varieties (231 last year).
Slovakia’s winter barley plantings are estimated at 36 thousand ha this year (33 last year) and spring barley area at 90 thousand ha (88).
Hungary, as per local reports, planted 226 thousand ha to winter (231) and 40 thousand ha to spring barley this year (41).
These countries report variable, but predominantly poor crop results and prospects. Supplies of good quality barley will not be enough inside the region. However, transport cost of malting barley from outside is higher in Central Europe than in all other EU markets. Therefore adjustments of quality parameters must increase supply possibilities and provide for self-sufficiency in the malting sector, at least to a large extent.
The EU industry is very concerned by now, especially about a lack of supplies, high prices, high protein contents in spring barley. Talks have started about a real short of supplies. In reality there is always enough barley, but of what quality? Maltsters and brewers must be prepared to make major concessions on quality parameters. And they will probably pay much more than in past years, the Gauger analysts forecast.
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