Industry sources expect China to buy Australian barley all the way through 2024

After China ended antidumping tariffs on Australian barley in August, dramatically lowering imported barley prices by $11 per MT, Chinese importers secured about 20 shipments, or over 1 MMT, of that grain from Australia. Contracts were signed for barley for both malting and animal feed, found a report from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). The USDA experts see active interest in China in alternative domestic and imported grains as a replacement for corn in feed rations, according to that review. The authors expect the MY 2023-24 ratio of corn in feed rations to be slightly lower than in the previous year; they forecast that corn imports for 2023-24 will hit 20 MMT only as old stock rice and sprouted wheat as well as imported sorghum and barley will replace that grain in animal diets. "The availability of sufficient lower-priced alternative grains in the market will squeeze corn use in feed," they predicted. NCP sprouted wheat prices were ...