Funding grant aims to lift Australia-China barley trade

Australia's barley trade with China has the potential to expand further following a government-backed grant to support relationships between Australian growers and Chinese maltsters and brewers.

Australia's National Foundation for Australia-China Relations (NFACR) awarded the Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre (AEGIC) A$350,000 ($231,735) to support Australian growers "re-engage and reinvigorate relationships" with Chinese barley importers and promote sustainable barley trade.

Australia's barley trade with China has rapidly recovered since Beijing removed its 80.5pc anti-dumping and countervailing duties on Australian barley in August 2023. The tariffs had caused barley exports to China to cease entirely between December 2020 and July 2023 but exports hit a decade high of 1.16mn t in December 2023, according to Australia Bureau of Statistics data.

AEGIC will use the NFACR grant to host Australian barley industry seminars in China, as well as to demonstrate the Australian barley supply chain to a Chinese delegation in Australia. AEGIC's provision of technical information on Australian barley to Chinese buyers will increase "the likelihood they will choose grain from Australia", said its executive general manager Courtney Draper on 20 May.

China is Australia's largest barley export destination this year, accounting for 82pc of all barley exports during January-March, ABS data show.

By Edward Dunlop