Profit pressure puts barley on same path as wheat

Malting barley production is coming under increasing pressure, echoing the challenges facing the wheat industry, as weakening profitability forces producers to reconsider their planting decisions.

-  Glenneis Kriel

Addressing Grain SA's recent regional meeting in Swellendam, Western Cape, Jose de Kock, chairperson of the barley working group, said malting barley has never been easy to produce, and conditions have become progressively more challenging.

He added that long delays in receiving production mandates from AB InBev are further complicating planning.

"Producers want to plan properly, but that becomes extremely difficult without mandates. This year, some producers had to order seed before receiving confirmation," he explained.