The first load of new-crop sorghum for the season tipping at Broadbent’s Jondaryan depot on Qld’s Darling Downs in January. Photo: CHS Broadbent

AUSTRALIA exported 8,226,659 tonnes of barley and 2,500,168t of sorghum in the year to September 2025, according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data.

Barley exports comprise 7,002,247t of feed barley and 1,224,412t of malting, with China the major market by far, accounting for 72 percent of feed barley exports, and 80pc of malting.

Japan on 547,362t and Saudi Arabia on 393,28t were the second and third-biggest markets respectively for 2024-25 feed barley shipments.

On malting, Mexico on 70,800t and Japan on 45,523t were the second and third-biggest markets respectively.

China was also the major customer for Australia’s sorghum exported in 2024-25, and accounted for 94pc of business.

September barley exports comprised 273,944t of feed and 35,704t of malting, which Compass Grain director Sam Roache has given the lowest monthly barley total since October 2024.

“It reflects the record tight carry-out stocks scenario barley has been facing for some time,” Mr Roache said.

“It is stock availability that is limiting September, October and November exports, rather than demand, which continues to be strong in all directions.”

Australia’s total barley exports for the year to September are the third-largest on record, which Mr Roache said was underpinned by very strong Chinese demand and a larger-than expected Middle Eastern program.

“Some analysts were questioning overall barley demand at this time last year, pointing to small shipping months like we see for September as the evidence.

“This turned out to be incorrect, with very strong underlying demand seeing barley export ramp up fast once new-crop stocks were available for export for December forward.

“Like today, it was tight stocks curtailing export volumes and, like last year, we continue to see very strong export demand for barley into both China and the Middle East.

“We note a very large forward-sold export program is already on the books for the next three months, with demand continuing now, which is needed considering the crop size.”

ABARES’ standing forecast issued early September for the current barley harvest is 14.55Mt, but Mr Roache is among those that could see it set a new record at more than 16Mt.

Table 1: Australian feed barley exports for the year to 30 September 2025. Source: ABS

Table 2: Australian malting barley exports for the year to 30 September 2025. Source: ABS

Table 3: Australian sorghum exports for the year to 30 September 2025. Source: ABS