AUSTRALIA’S barley industry needs to be aware of a potential change in the quality requirements of our major buyer of malt barley, China.
Drew Robertson, senior barley trader with CBH, said China now wants an extra half a percentage point of protein in its malt barley imports from Australia.
“This has been something that has been ongoing over the past couple of years, in the past protein has average on average around 9.5 per cent, the Chinese want to push that figure up to around 10pc,” Mr Robertson said at last month’s Barley Australia Forum in Adelaide.
Mr Robertson said that quality parameter could be met, but said it would be difficult to push the figure past 10.5pc.
“There is higher protein barley out there, but the key question is whether we are going to be rewarded for providing them with this extra protein?”
“The grain is out there, but it must be paid for accordingly.”