Australia: Barley harvest continues to advance with mixed quality results

Harvest continues to advance across the main barley regions in Australia, and results are reportedly mixed. While yields remain as expected, there is variability on quality (e.g. sizing) which is reducing selections rates in Western Australia and South Australia (as expected). The weather continues to be mostly favourable for harvest, RMI Analytics said in their latest report.

For barley production, the experts’ estimate is unchanged 11.4 mln tonnes, but with an expected lower selection rates versus normal levels.

Australian barley prices are up slightly on the basis of prices to farmers, and in response to limited demand showing up in the market (e.g. China) but buyers’ ideas are at lower levels and with farmers busy with harvest it will be interesting to see if liquidity is sufficient for trade to close additional business. From the harvest results so far, there is a building availability of feed quality, and naturally a drop in malting quality. Domestic demand is also present, possibly to lock in malt quality.