Barley

A brewing and feed grain priced mainly in Europe and Australia with malt premiums.

Overview

Some 160 million tonnes yearly come from the EU, Russia, Australia, and Canada. Malting barley for beer pays feed premiums set by protein and kernel plumpness specs, and China, once the top malt buyer, ran antidumping duties against Australian barley that rerouted trade until resolution in 2023. Feed barley competes with corn and wheat on energy content, and Saudi Arabia buys feed barley in volume for sheep and camels. Ukraine was a major exporter before the war disrupted ports. Prices hang on the wheat feed ratio, malt premiums ride global beer demand, and Australian weather sets export years.