Argentina: Farmers in Argentina to expand barley plantations by 28% this year

Farmers in Argentina are looking to cash in on a trade dispute between Australia and China, Bloomberg reported on May 5.

Argentine producers are poised to expand barley plantations by 28% this year, after China imposed tariffs on Australian exports of grain used to feed livestock, one of a series of similar restrictions imposed by Beijing after a deterioration. of his relationship with the island.

Farmers in the Argentine Pampa crop belt frequently compete with Australia for a share of world wheat sales, while also shipping their barley to camel herds in Saudi Arabia and other parts of the Middle East. However, diplomatic turmoil, which comes as concern among Argentine farmers grows that the government could increase export taxes on wheat, has opened up a possibility of an alliance with China.

Because wheat and barley are nearly interchangeable when used as animal feed ingredients, barley is often a highly sought-after replacement when wheat prices skyrocket. Since the end of June, benchmark wheat futures in the United States have risen 53%, hitting an eight-year high last week.

In the last decade, Australia has been the largest supplier of barley to China, according to MIT Media Lab data, with the Asian giant supplying more than half of its imports from Australian farms.