UK: Barley exports decline in November

The UK exported 52 thousand tonnes of barley in November, down from 62 thousand in October and the smallest monthly volume since July, AHDB reported on January 14.

In November, shipments into the EU held steady compared to October but there were only very limited volumes into non-EU destinations. Haulage difficulties were partly behind the slower pace. Shipping to non-EU destinations requires much larger volumes than EU destinations due to the greater distance. The haulage issues make it challenging to move the required larger volumes to port in a timely fashion. Additionally, because of these issues there are reports that sellers do not wish to overcommit.

The season to date (Jul – Nov) total now stands at 382 thousand tonnes, down 45% compared to 693 thousand tonnes shipped in the first five months of last season. Back in November, AHDB estimated that the surplus available for export or free stock was 14% lower than 2020/21. If the export pace remains relatively sluggish, more barley will be available for domestic use or may be held in stocks at the end of the season.

AHDB releases its next estimates of UK supply and demand on 27 January. This will include the first forecasts of barley exports for 2021/22, and will be released several months earlier than usual following industry feedback.

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