Mexico: Barley consumption is to increase due to increased beer production, AAFC said

For 2005-2006, while barley production, consisting mainly of six-row varieties, is forecast to remain unchanged at 0.9 Mt, consumption is expected to continue to increase marginally to 0.95 Mt due to increased beer production in Mexico, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) reported on March 31. As a result, Mexican malting barley imports are estimated to be unchanged at 75,000 t. Canadian exports of malting barley to Mexico are forecast to remain similar to last year at 5,000 t in 2005-2006. However, Canadian exports of malt have risen since the TRQ was eliminated in 2003 and are estimated at 50,000 t in 2005-2006.

The remainder of Mexico's imports of malt and malting barley are sourced from the US. For 2006-2007, barley production is forecast to remain similar to 2005-2006 due to unchanged seeded area and yields. Canadian malt and malting barley exports to Mexico are expected to remain similar to 2005-2006.

Mexico is the eighth largest beer producer in the world and in 2002 domestic beer production reached 6.3 billion litres. In the last 25 years, beer consumption has increased substantially. Currently, consumption of beer in Mexico is about 60 l per capita, compared to 63 l in Canada and 87 l in the US.

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