Barley: last year’s selling scenario may repeat itself

August 25, 2017 at 9:44 AM , Starry Night Ltd.
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When international markets demand lower priced crops, the domestic market seems to be the place to sell.

SOFIA. For this season, acreages of Spring barley stand by 48.5% higher than those of last year. By the 17th of August 2017, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, farmers combined 3,207 ha of the 4,600 ha available for harvest, collecting 12,206 mt.

Barley: one cannot step in the same river twice

However, one could learn from past successes or failures and thus refocus selling strategies. The price of barley has remained subdued for quite a time. All that has happened on the background of a lower output –  final estimates of 619,812 mt, which is 12.58% lower than that of harvest 2016-17. Overboard, after taking samples, buyers claim the quality of the crop is higher than that of last year.

Although the majority of farmers already executed their contracts, market sellers seem trapped in a price plateau. Earlier in the season, exports to EU markets skyrocketed since local selling parties had to fulfill their contracts. By the 17th of the month, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, exports accounted to 173,974 mt. However, when prices are persistently low, and storage facilities big, an advantageous option is to wait.

Focus on the local market

The industrial use of barley for beer production will most probably rise this year. According to a recent USDA report on Grain and Feed Annual, the country “is a net importer of malt.” Barley for malt is sold at 0.143 EUR/kg EXW. In addition, feed barley is used as a substitute of feed wheat. The crop from the recent harvest is of a higher quality than the crop from harvest 2016-17. Seemingly losing the competition of feed wheat to foreign markets in the short-term, local farmers will turn to barley to provide for their animal stock.  

Barley, Bulgaria

Type

EUR/kg

feed barley

0.130

EXW Bulgaria

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