Industry experts predict China will continue to purchase Australian barley until 2024

Contracts for the supply of barley for brewing and feed production were concluded. However, the situation has changed after China lifted anti-dumping tariffs on Australian barley.

Barley prices fell sharply by $11 per tonne, and Chinese importers purchased about 1 million tons of barley from Australia. Experts note that China is showing interest in alternative grains that can replace corn in feed rations.

The proportion of corn in diets is projected to decrease, while the use of germinated wheat and barley will increase. China is also looking to reduce its dependence on soybean meal imports and increase its use of grains in feed. At the same time, pig and broiler production is expected to decline, while production of GM crops in China is expanding.

The Ministry of Agriculture has allocated areas for growing GM corn in five provinces of the country. In general, GM crops appear to be more resistant to insects and herbicides and can increase yields.