Barley: Slowing down export activities

September 5, 2017 at 10:04 AM , Starry Night Ltd.
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Tough regional competition exerts pressure on export activities. Domestic trade as usual.

SOFIA. Last year, farmers planted by about 20% less barley as they had done during 2015. However, if the current market trends persist, the crop will definitely lose favor even among more local farmers, some of whom already turned to the cultivation of rapeseed as a more profitable crop.

Barley: the tough regional competition is insurmountable

Harvest 2017-18

(01.07.2017 - 01.09.2017)

Carry over

22,000  mt

Domestic output

619,812 mt

Domestic consumption

54,000 mt

Exports to the world

187,674 mt

Source: Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture

Exports started high early in the season since local market players had to quickly execute foreign contracts. Afterwards, prices remained weak and shipments to foreign countries slowed down. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, by the 1st of September 2017, shipments abroad stood at 187,674 mt while by the 2nd of September 2016, the number reached 307,123 mt. By the end of August 2017, remaining stocks stood at 413,719 mt. Local selling parties should prepare for a tough marketing season ahead.

On the domestic front

The local market is too weak to turn the wind in favor of market sellers. Domestic demand grows by a few mt on a weekly basis, which only scratches the surface of the barley market. The majority of local consumption (40,500 mt) went for feed use while the smaller part (13,500 mt) was used in the beer industry. The lower price of barley is what actually still drives local animal stock farmers to prefer the crop before feed wheat.

Barley, Bulgaria

Type

EUR/kg

feed barley

0.128

EXW Bulgaria

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