Canada: Barley exports this season lower than during the first 25 weeks of previous 2022-23 campaign

Canada’s barley exports season during the export year’s 25th week, which ended January 21, total just 917,800t, 43.6pc lower than the 1.63Mt shipped in the first 25 weeks of the 2022-23 season, Grain Central reported on January 30.

Monthly exports have been poor, except for November at 390,000t, with China the leading destination, taking around 90pc of the total. This volume is significantly lower than Canadian barley exports for the same period in each of the past three years, as the full impact of the lifting of the ban on Australian barley exports into China hits home for the Canadian farmer.

Malting barley exports in the season’s first four months were 184,000t, up 11pc year on year, and 4pc above the five-year average.

Domestic consumption of barley in 2023-24 is expected to be 3.2pc higher than the previous season at 6.16Mt. The feed grain market holds the biggest share, with use unchanged year on year at 5.6Mt. Feed barley prices early this month in the Lethbridge, Alberta, feedlot region dropped below C$320/t ($A362/t), their lowest level since April 2020.

Food, seed and industrial use, which includes malting barley for the brewing sector, is forecast to be up from 115,000t in 2022-23 to 319,000t this season.

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