EU barley harvest expected to fall, but still sufficient for bloc’s needs

The European Union’s harvest of barley, used for animal feed and malt output, is likely to fall this year, but supplies will be adequate to meet the bloc’s needs, analysts said.

German analyst FO Licht forecasts the EU barley harvest of all types will fall to around 53 million tonnes from 59.6m last year. EU grain trade association Coceral estimates the 2014 crop at some 55.9m tonnes.

“The harvest will be the smallest in three years but will be sufficient to meet estimated EU demand in the new year of about 50m tonnes,” said FO Licht grains analyst Claus Keller. “The crop reduction is largely due to the mild winter which meant that frost-damaged wheat did not have to be replanted.”