UK barley area falls to a 16-year low

The area planted to barley in the United Kingdom declined by 12% in 2026 compared with the previous year, reaching 930 thsd ha, its lowest level in 16 years. The decline was particularly pronounced in Scotland, where barley area fell by 13% to 258 thsd ha, the lowest level since 1960. The main reasons include low profitability, unfavorable weather conditions and weakening demand for malting barley from Scotch whisky producers. This was reported by City A.M., citing data from the UK’s Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).

British farmers have also faced a severe summer drought, which particularly affected key barley-growing regions in eastern England. According to AHDB, barley yields were 17% below the five-year average. Spring barley, which accounts for around 80% of malting-quality grain, was particularly affected. For many farms, this has been the second or third consecutive difficult season, while high fertilizer costs and other production expenses have further undermined the profitability of barley cultivation.

One of the key factors behind the reduction in barley area has been declining demand from the Scotch whisky industry. Due to substantial stocks of finished products, whisky producers have reduced output, leading to a drop of approximately 300 thsd tons in demand for malt. According to Colin Johnston of Crisp Malt, maltsters are facing excessive raw material stocks and declining orders. One malting facility in East Lothian has already closed, while others are postponing investment projects until market demand recovers.

The price premium for malting barley has also narrowed significantly amid weaker purchasing activity. According to Farmers Weekly, the price difference between malting and feed barley has fallen to just £5–15/t. In some regions, malting barley has even been sold at prices below those of feed barley, despite considerably stricter grain quality requirements. This is discouraging farmers from growing barley for the malting industry, as the additional costs of meeting quality specifications are becoming increasingly difficult to offset through higher purchasing prices.

Growth in British whisky exports offers some potential for a market recovery. In the first half of 2026, export volumes increased by 5.8%, while export revenues rose by 2.2% to £2.5 bln. However, whisky producers remain focused on reducing inventories, meaning a rapid recovery in barley demand is unlikely. At the same time, a further reduction in planted area could create supply risks for the malting industry if whisky production rebounds. Industry representatives emphasize the need to maintain the economic attractiveness of barley farming and share the costs of adopting sustainable technologies across the entire supply chain.

Tags: barley, UK