The decline in the quality of English malting barley

According to the analysis of grain quality conducted by AHDB, the protein content in barley of the 2024 harvest in the UK reached a record low of 9.06% against last year’s level of 10.63%. This can create difficulties for malt producers, as it will become more difficult to meet the specifications of brewers. The export potential is also weakened, as continental nitrogen requirements remain higher.

An additional challenge for the export of British barley is the strong pound sterling, which makes it less competitive in world markets.

A decrease in the quality of British barley and a limitation of its export potential may lead to an increase in prices for malting barley on the world market. This creates favorable conditions for Russian malt producers, who can strengthen their positions as exporters.