Europe: The forecast of malting barley demand in Europe

It is expected that Spain will hardly need any imports; it will probably even supply part of the Portuguese demand, market analysts commented on June 4.

The import demand of Italy and Greece is seen stable at minimum 100,000 tons.

Total malting barley demand in Hungary/Romania/Bulgaria is 370,000 tons, the share of imported barley is expected high.

It is likely that the Czech and Slovak industries must import malting barley as well; the industry awaits the harvest with anxiety.

Poland�s total needs are almost 400,000 tons. Also this country will need substantial supplies from the outside.

As usual the EU, especially France, must deliver malting barley to other Mediterranean and Balkan markets, about 100 � 150,000 tons.

The drought and heat in Russia and the Ukraine raises the question of a possibly large import demand in those two countries.