Barley: 14% lower output than last year’s so far

July 28, 2017 at 9:15 AM , Starry Night Ltd.
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Driven by crop’s lower prices, farmers refocus cultivation strategies and allocate resources to other crops.

SOFIA. Competitive prices from the major competitors -- Russia and Ukraine -- in the Black sea basin have always exerted pressure on local prices, and as a consequence influence local export volumes; as has been the case for the last season – exports were close to 373,800 mt, the lowest in a few years. The country mainly exports to EU member countries such as Spain and Greece while to the rest of the world, the country exports to Libya.

Barley: in the clutch of a lower aggregate output

By the 20th of this month, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, farmers harvested 97% of total available acreages for harvest, which this year stood at 130,737 ha. For this season, farmers planted by approximately 20.4% less arable land with barley than they had done so during 2016.

Farmers started collecting barley before hailstorms hit, and as a result, the loss from the storms was minimal. In addition, fallen through acreages stood at 250 ha, which is a drop in the ocean if compared to fallen through acreages in rapeseed fields. As a result, output broke the 600,000 mt ceiling. Last year, output reached 697,787 mt.

Market developments

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, by the 21st of July 2017, an estimated output of barley stood at close to 610,000 mt. All exports so far have gone to EU member countries.

Harvest 2017-18

(01.07.2017 - 21.07.2017)

Carry over

22,000  mt

Domestic output

609,989 mt

Domestic consumption

18,000 mt

Exports to the world

59,000 mt

 Source: Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture

In the words of local farmers, the turnover of barley on the market should happen at a faster rate, but supply prices do not meet demand’s. Shortage of barley is expected, and as a result an increase in prices.

Barley, Bulgaria

Type

EUR/kg

feed barley

0.135

EXW Bulgaria

 

 

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