In W31 in the barley landscape, the northeast region of the Netherlands experienced a complex situation with the summer barley crops due to a combination of drought in Jun-23 and recent rains. More than half of the summer barley plots in this area experienced significant through-growing, particularly evident on dry sandy soils, with mature plots faring worse. The unpredictable weather may compel combine harvesters to remain idle in barns in the upcoming week, reducing immediate threshing activities. Delphy advises arable farmers to carefully assess the impact of through-growing on their spring barley plots before commencing harvesting. While isolated overgrowth spots may still be threshed, this could raise moisture content and subsequently increase drying costs. For plots with widespread through-growing and few normal spikes, it may be more prudent to flail and forego harvesting altogether. Additionally, separating ripe barley from green ears during threshing or chemical intervention is not recommended due to the advanced growth stage.
In its July prediction, the European Commission (EC) adjusted the 2023 Bulgarian barley harvest forecast upwards to 0.66 million metric tons (mmt), 40 thousand metric tons (mt) more than the June estimate. This signifies a significant 16% increase in production compared to the five-year average of 0.56 mmt. The upward trajectory in barley production is attributed to substantial growth in yields, increasing by 2.4 kilograms (kg) per hectare (ha) to 54.8kg/ha. This positive outlook reflects improved conditions for barley cultivation in Bulgaria and indicates a promising harvest for the country.
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced the tariff removal on imported barley from Australia starting August 5, 2023. The ministry cited changes in the Chinese market as the reason for discontinuing the imposition of anti-dumping and countervailing duties on Australian barley imports. This decision follows a tariff sanction review initiated by China on Apr-23. China imposed significant tariffs of 80.5% on Australian barley in 2020. China alleged that Australian farmers benefited from government subsidies and engaged in dumping practices in the Chinese market. Before the tariff imposition, Australian barley exports to China were valued at approximately USD 1 billion annually. The tariff imposition resulted from deteriorating bilateral ties triggered by Australia's call – led by then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison – for an international investigation into the COVID-19 pandemic origin, causing tensions with China.
Lastly, agricultural producers successfully concluded the winter barley threshing in the Rivne region in Ukraine. The winter barley harvest was completed for all farm categories, covering an area of 4.6 thousand ha. Barley production amounted to 19.3 thousand mt, with an average yield of 41.7mt/ha. This successful harvest marks a productive phase for agricultural activities in the region. Agricultural practices in the region are currently focused on collecting early grain to minimize the need for post-harvest drying.