Canada: Barley crop quality very good this year

Canada’s barley crop, estimated at 10.4 mln tonnes, is of very good quality this year, H. M. Gauger GmbH reported earlier in November.

Supplies to the malting industry seemed to be secure and easy, and the Southern Alberta feed lots could count on feed barley from the North and Saskatchewan to replace last year’s large corn imports from the U.S.

The large interest from China changed markets, feed barley prices rose by C$50 per tonne since early September to C$270, track Lethbridge. FOB Vancouver prices for feed barley as of early November were USD245, for malting barley USD270 per tonne.

A great export season of 3.0 to 3.5 mln tonnes barley is anticipated, while domestic procurement has become much more difficult.