Moldova: Barley export expected to drop in 2006 to 100,000 t from 128,000 t year-on-year

Barley has proven the most sought after crop item on the Universal Commodity Exchange this year with the average asked amount totaling 1,300 tons per application. Starting 1 June the UCE has contracted over 37,000 metric tons, compared with 18,550 metric tons a year earlier at the average price of US$88.9/t, UkrAgroConsult informed in its 31 weekly Black Sea Grain report of August 04.

In the near future barley is likely to grow further both, sales- and price-wise, UCE experts predict; 21-27 June the price average has jumped US$4.3 per ton to US$98.5.

This year’s barley output is expected lower than in the previous years due to the reduced plantation area – down from 124,000 ha in 2004 to 98,200 ha in 2006.

Barley export, in turn, is expected to drop to 110,000 metric tons, down from 121,000 metric tons in 2005 and 128,000 metric tons in 2004. As regards selling prices, they are likely to post new highs from the US$96.37/t seen in 2005 (US$89.54 in 2004).