AUSTRALIA exported 73,647 tonnes of malting barley, 549,451t of feed barley and 25,517t of sorghum in January, according to the latest export data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

While the malting figure is almost four times the 18,559t shipped in December, the feed barley and sorghum shipments were down 41 per cent from 938,295t and 62pc from 73,781t respectively shipped in December.

Vietnam was the biggest destination for January-shipped malting at 33,381t, and was followed closely by Mexico on 33,000t.

On feed barley, Saudi Arabia on 229,105t and Jordan on 126,000t were the biggest destinations by far, with the UAE on 57,829t in third place.

China on 23,330t accounted for 91pc of Australian sorghum exported in January.

Flexi Grain pool manager Sam Roache said January’s barley exports were around 330,000t lower than the December total, and well below last year’s January-to-May average export pace.

“On the feed side, Middle East was unchanged month on month, while Asian demand dropped like a stone, down 350,000t to almost nothing.

“This switch was in line with our expectations…and was driven by importers favouring the freshly minted and relatively cheap Australian feed wheat production ex New South Wales and South Australia.”

Mr Roache said this trend was likely to continue, with strong Middle Eastern demand holding up the Australian numbers and limited participation from Asian consumers, who have been heavily into Aussie feed wheat since January.

Ukraine impact

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has prompted a leap in barley as well as wheat prices.

“We have seen the global barley market rally hard and fast, but perhaps without the visibility of the wheat, where futures are all over the news.

“Barley supply is not as skewed to Russian and Ukraine exports as wheat, but they are still the third and fourth-largest exporters and account for around 30pc of the major barley exporters’ activity.”

Ukraine and Russian barley is the cornerstone of Middle East and Mediterranean consumption, and Mr Roache said Ukraine has been a key price setter for imports to China since it closed to Australian barley.

“Relaxing of tensions and the reestablishment of shipping of Russia and Ukraine is the only solve for this issue, and the longer the interruption, the higher the price can go.”

In the last  12 days the global market has rallied around AUD 80/mt plus and pleasingly we are seeing a good portion of that reflected in the local bids, especially in SA and Vic markets. Elevation margins remain really strong, especially in WA and NSW which we estimate at close to $100/mt. Vic and SA elevation margins are sub $50/mt today.

Rumours continue that China will soon be back to buy Australian barley.

“These are so far unfounded, but the change in the supply landscape is so extreme that we do not rule anything out today.”

Malting rebounds

Malt exports rebounded in January, and Mr Roache said shipment levels should continue to be strong throughout the first half of 2022.

“Despite an early squeeze on price, the post-harvest realisation by the trade that there was enough malt to go round both locally and for export saw an increased appetite to sell cargo.

“Demand is there, and we should see the South and Central Americans continue to draw our stocks out with good prices and margins for the traders.”

Sorghum slides

Declining sorghum shipments reflect the run-out of old-crop stocks.

“China’s still buying it all, and will continue to do so unless we see a political-style punishment on sorghum too, which is hard to predict today.”

Mr Roache said shipment pace was expected to re-establish strongly and consistently as new-crop comes on line, with favourable margins available for sorghum shipped out of both NSW and Queensland.

“The size and spread of the crop over NSW this season should allow larger exports than we have seen in recent years.

“Availability of ample feed wheat and barley for local use should also encourage sorghum exports.”

Mr Roache said sorghum has seen little direct support from the Russia-Ukraine situation, with neither being a large producer or exporter.

“Indirectly, the interruption to Chinese corn and barley supply ex Ukraine should ensure continued robust demand into our number-one home.”

MALTING	Nov	Dec	Jan	TOTAL
Indonesia	278	0	0	278
Japan	750	2002	750	3502
Mexico	33000	0	33000	66000
New Zealand	0	100	0	100
Peru	19436	9987	0	29423
Philippines	880	639	420	1939
Singapore	3562	2739	2392	8693
Thailand	649	2586	3704	6939
Vietnam	1876	506	33381	35763
TOTAL	60431	18559	73647	152637

Table 1: Australian malting barley exports  for November and December 2021 and January 2022. Source: ABS

FEED	Nov	Dec	Jan	TOTAL
Ecuador	7100	6847	0	13947
Hong Kong	0	0	12	12
India	435	0	495	930
Japan	120	160070	0	160190
Jordan	0	63000	126000	189000
Kuwait	40500	41233	40500	122233
Macau	0	4	0	4
Malaysia	0	196	0	196
Mexico	0	31576	0	31576
New Caledonia	271	195	192	658
New Zealand	0	5800	5000	10800
Oman	0	24767	0	24767
Papua New Guinea	100	100	0	200
Philippines	148727	68834	11193	228754
Qatar	0	60050	57000	117050
Saudi Arabia	317955	296130	229105	843190
Singapore	250	3	608	861
South Korea	1105	16889	872	18866
Spain	4	0	0	4
Taiwan	3148	4357	4757	12262
Thailand	0	66137	0	66137
UAE	23651	24200	57829	105680
Vietnam	53129	67907	15888	136924
TOTAL	596495	938295	549451	2084241

Table 2: Australian feed barley exports  for November and December 2021 and January 2022. Source: ABS

SORGHUM	Nov	Dec	Jan	TOTAL
China	112842	72842	23330	209014
Japan	105	0	64	169
Malaysia	24	0	0	24
Philippines	1405	939	1730	4074
Saudi Arabia	0	0	0	0
South Korea	24	0	0	24
Taiwan	2000	0	393	2393
TOTAL	116400	73781	25517	215698

Table 3: Australian sorghum exports  for November and December 2021 and January 2022. Source: ABS