Barley prices in Ukraine have stabilized, but the market awaits the results of the tender in Turkey and increased demand

This week, export prices for feed barley in Ukraine stabilized as some traders purchased the required volumes and suspended purchases, but a new tender in Turkey may increase demand in the near future.

Heavy rains caused a delay in harvesting on the right-bank part of Ukraine, which has sharply reduced the supply of barley, but will increase the share of feed wheat, which will increase the pressure on feed grain prices this season.

Export prices for barley in Ukraine remain at the level of 10,000-10,100 UAH/t or $210-212/t with delivery to Black Sea ports, but there is an increase in demand from processors and brewers, which contributes to an increase in domestic prices.

In the first 30 days of the 2025/26 season, Ukraine exported 191,000 tons of barley (compared to 477,000 tons in the same period last year) out of a projected export of 2 million tons.

Last week, feed barley prices were supported by a sharp increase in feed wheat prices by $5-6/t to $210-214/t against the backdrop of a small share of feed in the new harvest, which reduced the difference with food wheat prices.

Prolonged rainfall in the central and, especially, western regions of Ukraine increases the amount of grain damaged by fungi, which worries brewers, who may face a decrease in the quality of malting barley (after precipitation, the protein content may increase above the required level). Similar weather in Europe will also lead to a decrease in the quality of malting barley, so the premium for it will increase again.

So far, processors are offering prices for malting barley at the level of 10,000-10,500 UAH/t with delivery to the plant, but there is no offer for spring barley yet.

The Turkish Grains Committee (TMC) held a tender on June 31 to purchase 225,000 tons of feed barley for delivery in August to the ports of Iskenderun, Mersin, Bandırma, Tekirdag, Samsun and Trabzon. The bid prices were $235-240 tons C&F, with the lowest bid at $234.9 tons C&F. The average purchase price was $235.7 tons C&F, but the tender results are awaiting approval.

According to traders, Black Sea barley was purchased at the tender and some of the proposed batches have already been imported to Turkey and are in a customs warehouse.

This level of purchase prices will maintain barley prices in Ukraine at a level not lower than $210-212 per ton with delivery to ports.