Barley: Giving in on markets outside the EU

December 29, 2017 at 3:05 PM , Starry Night Ltd.
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SOFIA. Losing foreign market positions outside the EU to other regional players. Domestic consumption is on the rise.

BULGARIA. Exports to countries outside the EU since the beginning of the marketing season (1st July 2017) have been sluggish, at best. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, by the 22nd of December 2017, the country exported to markets outside the Union only 27,737 mt while by that time last year, shipped quantities to such destinations reached 141,485 mt. Bulgaria does not enjoy the same marketing power as regional market players within the Black sea basin such as Russia and Ukraine do in such foreign markets, and what is moreover, it is not only exported volumes of barley that lag behind on a yearly basis to foreign destinations outside the EU; exports of some other locally grown grains have also experienced a substantial downward push.

Barley: domestic developments and short-term prospects

On the domestic market, the grain is manly used for feed. Provided the favorable forces of the feed wheat market prevail till the first quarter of 2018, local consumption of barley for feed could well increase substantially. Indeed, the lower export demand, which seems to have settled for the short-term, will encourage higher use of barley for feed domestically. A case in point, by the 22nd of December 2017, barley for feed reached 112,500 mt, which stands by 10.51% higher on a yearly basis. Barley for malt production comes in second order, as consumption varies on a yearly basis and is expected to increase this season, as well. Even though internal demand is forecasted to be stronger this year, it alone could not deplete reserves. As a result, a possible higher accumulation of stocks could well be built-up by the beginning of the upcoming harvest.

     Harvest 2017-18

(01.07.2017 - 22.12.2017)

         units in MT

Beginning availability

22,000

Aggregate output

633,393

Imports

1,938

Domestic consumption

150,000

   beer production

37,500

   feed

112,500

Exports to the world

262,069

   to EU markets

234,332

   to rest of the world

    27,737

Source: Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture

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