China: Barley imports drop to 3.8 mln tonnes in January-July from 12.5 mln a year ago
Again in August China has been absent from barley markets. Old contracts allowed shipments of 240,000 tonnes of new crop barley from France. Total Chinese imports in January-July were only 3.8 mln tonnes vs. 12.5 mln tonnes a year ago. The largest quantity in January-July were 2.1 mln tonnes from from Argentina, H. M. Gauger GmbH reported earlier in September.
China has the problems of corona, lockdowns, a limping economy, inflation, and possibly a poor grain crop. The country tries to reduce all imports.
Maltings and breweries use as much as possible local barley, also wheat, and brewers must reduce the malt input, after earlier efforts to produce more premium beer. Under the circumstances it is surprising that beer sales in China have continued to grow during the year, the analysts said.
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