Ukraine uses 88% its barley export surplus, ships mostly to China

Ukraine has used 88% of its barley exportable surplus for the 2020/21 July-June season, shipping abroad 3.7 million tonnes of the commodity, APK-Inform agriculture consultancy said on Wednesday.

APK-Inform said in a report Ukraine exported 3.4 million tonnes of barley in the same period in 2019/20.

The consultancy has said Ukraine harvested 7.98 million tonnes of barley and the export could total 4.2 million tonnes.

The economy ministry, however, sees the harvest at 7.8 million tonnes and said the export could fall to 3.83 million tonnes this season from 5.08 million tonnes in the 2019/20.

APK-Inform said Ukraine had doubled its barley export to China to 2.5 million tonnes so far this season while export to Saudi Arabia, which used to be leading export destination for years, fell by 65% to 334,200 tonnes.

The growth of Ukrainian exports to China comes amid the trade conflict with Australia, its largest trading partner, after Beijing imposed a series of trade reprisals after Australia led calls for an international inquiry into the coronavirus.

Reuters

Tags: Ukraine, barley export surplus