August 16, 2007

Western Australian authority approves more barley, canola for export
 

Western Australia's Grain Licensing Authority Wednesday (Aug 15) announced approval for more feed barley and canola to be exported from the crops to be harvested late this year.

Authority Chairman Wayne Obst said three export licenses were granted for a total of 180,000 tonnes of feed barley to the Middle East, while another malting barley license for 60,000 tonnes covered exports to Europe, South America and South Africa, to take total feed and malting grade exports licensed from the new crop to 610,000 tonnes.

One of the recent licenses granted was a multiyear export permit for 60,000 tonnes a year of barley until 2009-2010, he said.

Obst said there would still be sufficient grain available for the main export licensee, Grain Pool Pty. Ltd., to conduct its marketing programme and operate its collective marketing pool.

A canola license for 50,000 tonnes to the subcontinent was also announced, taking total new crop canola exports permitted to 110,000 tonnes, he said.

The authority has the power to approve bulk export shipments of barley, lupins or canola, by groups other than Grain Pool, a unit of grower-owned Cooperative Bulk Handling Ltd., the majority exporter.

Western Australia is a major global supplier of barley. Western Australia will produce 2.24 million tonnes of the coarse cereal, or 25 percent of national production, in the 2006/07 crop year, according to an official forecast in June, up from the actual drought-affected output in the previous year of 1.65 million tonnes.

Most barley produced is exported, with total exports from the crop to be harvested late in 2007 estimated at 5.3 million tonnes valued at about A$1.3 billion (about US$1.035 billion).

Feed grade barley typically goes to livestock feed users in the Middle East, while China is the biggest buyer of malting grade, which is used to make beer.