EU: Increased selection of winter malting barley necessary to cope with domestic and export business
British maltsters selected no more than 200-300 thousand tonnes of 2 row-winter malting barley this year, which will be consumed at home, H. M. Gauger GmbH reported earlier in September.
Germany has almost abandoned the production of 2 row-winter malting barley, estimates of sales to maltsters are approximately 50-75 thousand tonnes.
The crop of 6 row-winter barley in France is of good quality. A price difference of about 20 between 2 row-spring and 6 row-winter makes winter barley attractive again for the industry, and its premium of 25/30 above feed barley keeps it away from the feed market.
The EU 6 row-winter demand may increase to 1.9 mln tonnes, therefore a selection of minimum 30% = 2.5 mln tonnes seems necessary to cope with this seasons domestic and export business.