EU: Reducing barley carry-over stocks becomes urgent as new grain year starts July 06
The grain year 2006/07 will commence with restitution and intervention stock tenders on July 6, analysts said. The EU is in urgent need to reduce the carry-over surplus and to start to sell barley from this year's crop, but it cannot be expected that Brussels will grant an export restitution right away, which will bridge the difference between EU and Black Sea markets (US$ 133.00 vs. US$ 120.00 FOB). The barley harvest has advanced well in Spain and begun a week ago in France. Reports from Spain put some doubt on the prognosticated EU barley crop of 56-57 million t.