Barley yields bode well in 2023

Barley is a crop to watch this harvest with farmers reporting some handy yields and prices tracking at 10 per cent more than world parity.

The market metrics for barley are well aligned, with farmers reporting some handy yields and prices tracking at 10 per cent more than world parity.

It’s early days for barley, and many Victorian farmers are yet to get the header in the paddock in the ultimate litmus test of how exactly the crop will form.

But if results from southern NSW are any indication, it could be a crop to watch in 2023.

Prices are tracking around $340 to $350 a tonne delivered to Geelong, and farmers hope to reap rewards from good yields.

At Marrar in southern NSW, farmers have reported malt quality and yields of up to 5 tonne per hectare.

Farmer Bob McCormack said the barley crop was performing well, with around $350 a tonne values at the silo in his district. Mr McCormack said the crop at his place was testing at malt quality.

NSW grains committee chairman Justin Everitt of Brocklesby in southern NSW. Picture: Nikki Reynolds

NSW grains committee chairman Justin Everitt of Burrumbuttock has yet to start harvesting barley and anticipates it could be about 10 days to two weeks off.

“For the people who are harvesting in this area (southern NSW), it came to a halt on Thursday after 18mm of rain fell,” he said.

Action from the harvest at Birchip. Picture: Zoe Phillips

Birchip Cropping Group chairman John Ferrier said there had been talk about good yields and results for barley.

Mr Ferrier said he had yet to start harvesting barley at his place but was hoping for good results.

“The 30mm to 40mm of rain that we got in October was fantastic, and it was great finishing rain for all of the crops in this area,” he said.

Regarding pricing, barley was doing well on world parity levels, with episode 3 market analyst Andrew Whitelaw saying Australia was about 10 per cent above those levels.

“The market climate is very different from this time last year. Last year, there was massive uncertainty in the Black Sea and Ukraine, which affected prices in 2022,” he said.

Then, more grain started selling during October as the export corridors opened.

He said while barley prices weren’t as high as they had been in previous times, the values were still tracking well.

“Our price is improving relative to other (countries),” he said.

“If you look at Australian feed barley versus French barley, there’s a substantial premium for Australian barley.”

Mr Whitelaw attributed the market to China for the positivity. He said for Victorian growers, barley was currently trending at around $345 to $350 a tonne delivered to Geelong.