Australia exports over 1.2 mln tons of barley in December

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australia exported 1.223 million tons of barley in December 2025, including 349,000 tons of malting barley and 875,000 tons of feed barley. This marked the largest monthly barley export since December 2023, with malting barley shipments more than five times higher than in November.

China remained the main buyer of feed barley, importing around 700,000 tons, or 80% of total shipments. Saudi Arabia (159,000 tons) and Vietnam (6,576 tons) were the second and third largest markets. Malting barley was also mostly exported to China (261,592 tons), followed by Saudi Arabia (67,000 tons) and South Korea (14,680 tons).

Sorghum exports fell 56% from November to 12,957 tons in December, with China, the Philippines, and Taiwan as the primary destinations.

Analysts note that record barley production and strong sales from Western Australia have supported high global feed barley prices. Demand from China and Middle Eastern countries remains strong, with shipments for the first months of 2026 expected to remain at high levels.

Senior broker Sam Roache of McDonald Pelz reported that about 60% of expected barley exports have already been shipped, with this share likely rising to 70% by the end of February. Strong market activity is expected to continue throughout the season, supported by well-organized supply and competitive pricing across different Australian regions.

Tags: Australia, export, barley, sorghum