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Barley: Exports slowed down

September 28, 2017 at 9:51 AM , Starry Night Ltd.
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SOFIA. Domestic demand is stable on a weekly basis. On the foreign fronts, exports lag strength.

BULGARIA. Barley production within the countries of the EU is projected to decrease by 2.06%, according to a recent USDA report. Expectations are for global demand to increase, depleting availability of stocks by the end of the marketing season. Withholding the grain from the market now, timing higher prices later in the marketing season, local sellers could record higher margins in the long-term.

Barley: Nothing new under the sky

Usually, farmers try to find market for barley quickly after they have harvested and collected the grain from fields since its harvest happens first among all other locally grown grains such as wheat, rapeseed, sunflower and corn. The mass offerings during harvest and after collecting the crop influence prices, and buyers stand to benefit the most at that time. Later in the season, depending on quality characteristics of the grain and regional competition, big sellers time their sales.

Harvest 2017-18

(01.07.2017 - 22.09.2017)

Carry over

22,000  mt

Domestic output

619,812 mt

Domestic consumption

72,000 mt

Exports to the world

200,495 mt

Source: Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture

At the beginning of the marketing season this year, local market players swiftly started buying available quantities, and quickly executed contractual obligations to foreign markets. As a result, export activities skyrocketed. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, by the 24th of September 2017, shipped volumes abroad via Varna seaport reached 86,684 mt, which on a year-to-year basis is 1,336% higher. However, export activities have quite slowed down recently due to tough regional competition and lower prices.

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