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Barley: Losing grounds among local farmers

October 27, 2017 at 3:30 PM , Starry Night Ltd.
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SOFIA. The expected decrease in output on an annual basis might not reverberate drastically throughout foreign market positions.

BULGARIA. Last year, the country’s aggregate output reached 689,850 mt while this year, national production was estimated at 619,812 mt. The reason for the decline was lower planted acreages – close to 20%.

Throughout the recent years, many farmers have shifted their cultivation focus from heavily relying on barley to investing in other grains such as rapeseed. The latter crop allows farmers to realize a higher margin since the greater majority of it is exported.

Barley: Expected decrease in output on an annual basis

By the 19th of October 2017, sowed acreages of barley reached 63,774 mt; the number is by 8.2% lower than that of last year at that time. The country expects planted acreages this year to be lower. Apparently, barley is losing favor among local farmers. Tough regional competition, low prices, slower unloading of reserves (higher carry-overs) are strong reasons for farmers to refocus their cultivation strategies.

Harvest 2017-18

(01.07.2017 - 20.10.2017)

Beg.availability, incl. carry over & imports

  655,451  mt

Domestic consumption

96,000 mt

Exports to the world

219,049 mt

   to EU markets

201,832 mt

   to rest of the world

17,217 mt

Source: Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture

Last year, exports reached 373,796 mt, as 62.15% of shipped volumes abroad went to EU markets. This year’s exports slowed down recently, as projections are for the same to remain weak throughout the current marketing season.

A drastic cut of output by 10%, for instance, for the next year will not result in a substantial, if any, loss of foreign market positions since it is the price and not the quantities produced that influence local market sentiments, and subsequently shipped volumes abroad. In the end of harvest, according to local farmers, this year’s quality characteristics of barley were higher than those of last year.

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