Profitability of barley processing in EU countries

Barley belongs to crops that are actively produced directly in Europe.

In particular, according to 2019 data, the production of European and British barley accounted for about 60 million tons, but most of this grain was exported to other countries. This crop is most actively grown in Germany, France, Romania and Belgium. At the same time, it should be understood that with the developed technology of growing this crop, the processing of barley on the latest and high-quality equipment is also actively carried out in Europe.

What you need to know about barley processing

After the unsuccessful “covid” and dry year of 2020, he began to actively supply Ukrainian-made barley to European markets. According to the “Ukrainian Club of Agrarian Business”, already in 2021, Ukrainian barley began to be supplied 2.7 times more often to EU countries. It should be borne in mind that we are talking only about seeds for sowing, which are purchased in Romania, Austria and Poland. As for the processing of this culture, a variety of technologies are used for this, which include not only cleaning the seeds, but also removing the fungus core from the surface, peeling and further making cereals, flakes and whole grain flour. In addition, malt is obtained from barley, which is then used in cooking and for animal feed. It should be noted that for processing and further use in brewing, barley must contain a sufficient amount of protein, as well as correspond to the level of extraction, fullness and germination, and have the correct enzymatic activity. If the grain does not meet these requirements, then it belongs to the fodder type and is used in agriculture.

In which EU countries barley is processed

According to statistics, most often this crop is processed in Germany, France, Spain and Great Britain – that is, those countries that provide the main supply of this crop to the markets of other countries.

In addition, processing is carried out in Canada and Australia, which are also among the leaders in this industry. At the same time, barley is not the main crop for processing – in this area it was overtaken by corn, which has a higher productivity and is in great demand among farmers.

Profitability

Taking into account the fact that the grain processing market has been filled with other types of plants, for example, the same corn, wheat or sunflower, few countries dare to open new plants for processing barley specifically. The existing world capacities are quite enough to meet the demands for processing this crop, and therefore, having the corresponding need, it is easier for Ukrainian farmers either to send grain to other countries, or to use their own factories.