5 Countries That Export the Most Barley in the World

Barley is a versatile cereal grain that has many uses in food, beverages, animal feed and health products. Barley is also one of the oldest cultivated crops in the world, dating back to ancient times. In this article, we will look at the top five countries that export the most barley in the world, based on data from 2022.

Australia

Australia is the world’s largest exporter of barley, with a market share of 23.8% in 2022. Australia exported 2.4 billion US dollars worth of barley in 2022, mainly to China, Japan, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam. Australia has a competitive advantage in barley production due to its favorable climate, advanced technology and efficient logistics. Australia produces both malting and feed barley varieties, which are in high demand in the global market.

France

France is the second-largest exporter of barley in the world, with a market share of 18.7% in 2022. France exported 1.8 billion US dollars worth of barley in 2022, mainly to China, Saudi Arabia, Belgium and Algeria. France is the leading producer of barley in the European Union, with a diverse range of varieties and qualities. France is also a major supplier of malting barley for the brewing industry, especially for premium beers.

Germany

Germany is the third-largest exporter of barley in the world, with a market share of 9.7% in 2022. Germany exported 955.7 million US dollars worth of barley in 2022, mainly to China, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Belgium. Germany is another major producer of barley in the European Union, with a focus on high-quality malting barley for domestic and international markets. Germany also has a strong reputation for its beer culture and tradition, which relies on high-quality barley as a key ingredient.

Argentina

Argentina is the fourth-largest exporter of barley in the world, with a market share of 8.9% in 2022. Argentina exported 873.2 million US dollars worth of barley in 2022, mainly to China, Brazil, Saudi Arabia and Chile. Argentina is a major producer of feed barley in South America, with a large and growing livestock sector that consumes most of its domestic production. Argentina also exports some malting barley to neighboring countries and other regions.

Canada

Canada is the fifth-largest exporter of barley in the world, with a market share of 7.9% in 2022. Canada exported 777.8 million US dollars worth of barley in 2022, mainly to China, Japan, United States and Mexico. Canada is a major producer of both feed and malting barley in North America, with a diverse and resilient production system that adapts to different climatic conditions and market demands. Canada also has a strong research and innovation sector that develops new varieties and technologies for barley production and processing.

Barley is a valuable commodity that has many applications and benefits for human and animal consumption. The global trade of barley is dominated by five countries: Australia, France, Germany, Argentina and Canada. These countries have different strengths and strategies to produce and export high-quality barley to meet the needs of their customers and consumers around the world.

Barley Exports by Country: Trends and Prospects

Barley is a major cereal grain that has various uses in food, feed, and beverages. It is also one of the most traded agricultural commodities in the world. In this post, we will look at the trends and prospects of barley exports by country, based on the latest data from 2022.

Top Barley Exporters in 2022

According to the World’s Top Exports website, the top 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of raw barley in 2022 were:

Australia: US$2.4 billion (23.8% of total barley exports)
France: $1.8 billion (18.7%)
Germany: $955.7 million (9.7%)
Argentina: $873.2 million (8.9%)
Canada: $777.8 million (7.9%)
Romania: $451.5 million (4.6%)
Ukraine: $447 million (4.5%)
Russia: $362.2 million (3.7%)
United Kingdom: $302.8 million (3.1%)
Kazakhstan: $216 million (2.2%)
Denmark: $178.1 million (1.8%)
Hungary: $171.5 million (1.7%)
Czech Republic: $125.9 million (1.3%)
Poland: $100.4 million (1%)
Türkiye: $88.2 million (0.9%)

These 15 countries accounted for 93.7% of the global barley exports by value in 2022.

Barley Export Trends by Country

The value of barley exports increased by an average of 28.8% for all exporting countries since 2018, when total barley shipments were valued at $7.66 billion. However, exports of barley declined by 9% from $10.8 billion in 2021 to $9.86 billion in 2022.

Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing barley exporters since 2021 were Türkiye (up 127.7%), United Kingdom (up 50.8%), Argentina (up 43.8%), and Kazakhstan (up 30.9%). These countries benefited from higher demand and prices for their barley in the international market.

On the other hand, some major suppliers experienced declines in their exported barley sales in 2022, such as Ukraine (down 64.9%), Russia (down 62.5%), Denmark (down 28.9%), Canada (down 15.9%), and Romania (down 9.9%). These countries faced lower production, competition, or trade barriers that affected their barley exports.

Barley Export Prospects by Country

The prospects of barley exports by country depend on various factors, such as production, consumption, demand, prices, trade policies, and weather conditions.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, global barley production is forecast to increase by 3% to 156 million metric tons in 2023, mainly due to higher output in Australia, Canada, EU-27, and Russia.

Global barley consumption is also expected to rise by 3% to 155 million metric tons in 2023, driven by higher feed use in China, EU-27, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey.

Global barley trade is projected to grow by 4% to 29 million metric tons in 2023, with higher imports by China, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Vietnam.

The main exporters of barley in 2023 are expected to be EU-27 (7.1 million metric tons), Australia (5.5 million metric tons), Russia (4.6 million metric tons), Canada (2.9 million metric tons), and Argentina (2.6 million metric tons).

The main importers of barley in 2023 are forecast to be China (10 million metric tons), Saudi Arabia (6 million metric tons), Turkey (1.5 million metric tons), Iran (1 million metric tons), and Vietnam (0.8 million metric tons).

The average price of barley in the international market is estimated to be $223 per metric ton in 2023, up from $217 per metric ton in 2022. The price is influenced by supply and demand factors, as well as exchange rates and transportation costs.

Barley is a valuable commodity that has a significant role in the global agricultural trade.

The trends and prospects of barley exports by country vary depending on the production, consumption, demand, prices, trade policies, and weather conditions of each country.

The top barley exporters in 2022 were Australia, France, Germany, Argentina, and Canada, while the top barley importers in 2022 were China, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey, and Japan.

The value of barley exports increased by 28.8% from 2018 to 2022, but declined by 9% from 2021 to 2022.

The prospects of barley exports by country are generally positive for 2023, with higher production, consumption, trade, and prices expected.

References:

https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QCL/visualize

Barley Exports by Country Plus Average Prices 2022 – World’s Top Exports

https://www.indexmundi.com/agriculture/?commodity=barley&graph=exports

https://knoema.com/atlas/topics/Agriculture/Trade-Export-Value/Barley-exports