Barley prices in Ukraine rose due to active export demand and low yields in France

The first data on barley harvesting in the EU and the Russian Federation indicate that the average yield is lower than last year. In Ukraine, the yield of barley still exceeds last year's, but in some regions, where there was a shortage of precipitation, barley has a low nature and yield.

In France, winter barley has been harvested on 50% of the area, but the yield is much lower than the predicted MSG of 6.73 t/ha. Agritel analysts forecast the yield of winter barley in the range of 5.46-5.57 t/ha, and the total harvest at the level of 7 million tons, which will be 27% lower than last year's figure.

In the Russian Federation, on July 3, 2.79 million tons of barley were harvested from 672.1 thousand hectares or 8.6% of the area with an average yield of 4.15 tons/ha, which is 5.5% lower than last year. As harvesting progressed from south to north, the average weekly yield decreased by 23%. A decrease in the area of sowing and yield of barley in the Russian Federation will reduce exports and increase the demand for Ukrainian barley.

In Ukraine, on July 5, 1.56 million tons of barley were harvested from 402.7 thousand hectares, or 32% of the area, with an average yield of 3.87 tons/ha, while last year at this time, 805 were threshed from 235 thousand hectares, or 16% of the area. 8 thousand tons of barley with a yield of 3.43 tons/ha.

In 2024/25 MR (as of July 8), Ukraine exported only 7,000 tons of barley compared to 65,000 tons for this period last year.

Traders initially contracted new harvest barley at UAH 7,700-7,850/t, but then lowered prices to UAH 7,100-7,200/t, after which producers reduced sales. Now, in order to accumulate the necessary shipping lots, traders are forced to raise prices, so during the week they raised them by 200-300 UAH/t to 7400-7600 UAH/t or $160-163/t with delivery to Black Sea ports.

A decrease in the yield and quality of barley in France may increase the demand for brewing barley in Ukraine, the prices of which remain at a low level of UAH 7,000/t with delivery to the factory and are inferior to feed barley prices, although last year the premium for brewing quality reached UAH 2,500-3,000/t t.