The Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre (AEGIC) is continuing to engage closely with brewers and maltsters in the important markets of India and Vietnam to pave the way for increased malting barley exports to those countries.

AEGIC barley markets manager Mary Raynes says maintaining engagement with these markets and others is important to diversify markets and create new opportunities for barley growers.

By 2030, the size of the Indian malting barley market is likely to be between 450,000 and 650,000 tonnes.

“The Australian barley industry is working together to ensure Australia is well-placed to capture a strong share of this market,” Ms Raynes says. “Behind the scenes, AEGIC has been engaging with Indian brewers and maltsters to help provide a pathway for Australian malting barley to enter the Indian market.

“Indian maltsters and brewers are really keen for the opportunity to access Australian malting barley and are very eager to engage with us and provide their feedback on their preferred malting barley quality requirements.”

Vietnam a key market

In Vietnam, the thriving beer industry is another important market for Australian malting barley.

“With its famous beer-drinking culture, Vietnam consumed more than 4.6 billion litres of beer in 2019,” Ms Raynes says. “It is the third-largest consumer of beer in Asia and the largest in South-East Asia.”

She says Vietnamese beer production will increase by two to three per cent per year towards 2030, boosting demand for malt and malting barley.

“AEGIC analysis forecasts that Vietnam’s malting capacity will increase towards 2030, which will result in malting barley imports jumping to about 330,000 million tonnes, nearly double that required in 2019.”

AEGIC will continue to engage with these markets and others to ensure value is maintained for growers.

She says India and Vietnam are among AEGIC’s key priorities when it comes to Australian malting barley exports.

In conjunction with the Australian barley industry, AEGIC conducts in-market engagement visits and virtual webinars with brewers and maltsters in India and Vietnam to communicate the quality, safety and reliability of Australian malting barley.

“AEGIC will continue to engage with these markets and others to ensure value is maintained for growers,” Ms Raynes says.

“We are also engaging with feedgrain buyers to stimulate demand for Australian feed barley.”

AEGIC is an investment of GRDC and the Western Australian Government.

More information: Mary Raynes, 08 6168 9900, mary.raynes@aegic.org.au