Australia's Malt Barley Dominance Challenged

DONALD - Mar 7/02 - STAT -- Australian malting barley continues to dominate world trade, accounting for roughly half of all trade, but more investment in varietal research and development is necessary to maintain that status, warns ABB Grain Ltd (ABB).

Formerly known as the Australian Barley Board, the marketing board said, "We face a significant challenge in the barley market in the form of strong competition from malting barley that is of better quality than the variety that has been our major export for years: Schooner.

"Our barley is well presented, clean and meets all the quality parameters on which we sell, but Schooner’s malting characteristics have been outclassed for many uses by varieties from Canada and Europe. It is a testament to the skills and service we offer customers that we continue to be able to place Schooner in the market so well," the company said in a published statement.

Addressing the quality concerns, along with growers' needs for improved yield and disease resistance is why ABB is continuing to invest in plant breeding through the Malting Barley Quality Improvement Program and the CRC for Molecular Plant Breeding, as well as the commercialization phase through ABB’s interest in Graintrust.

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