The overall value of barley exports rose by an average 49.4% for all exporting countries since 2017 when barley shipments were valued at $7 billion.
Exports of barley sold on international markets in 2021 appreciated by 39.9% from $7.4 billion during 2020.
Barley is a traditional food ingredient used in soups, stews, breads and beverages. More recently, this major cereal grain has become a staple component for health foods. Barley is also used to ferment malt beer. A member of the grass family, barley has an additional food use serving as animal fodder.
The 5 biggest exporters of barley are Australia, France, Ukraine, Russia and Canada. Combined, those 5 major suppliers generated almost three-quarters (64.9%) of all exported barley by sales during 2021. Such a high percentage indicates a relatively concentrated cohort of international barley suppliers.
Applying a continental lens, suppliers in Europe sold the highest dollar worth of exported barley during 2021 with shipments valued at $6.6 billion or well over three-fifths (63.5%) of total barley exports. In second place were exporters in Oceania (19.5%) mostly Australia ahead of North America (9.6%).
Smaller percentages came from Latin America plus the Caribbean (6.5%), Asia (0.9%) and Africa (0.04%).
For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix for raw barley is 1003 (which is the focus of this analysis). Please note that the HTS codes for rolled, flaked, pearled or otherwise worked barley are scattered under 6-digit subgroups attached to a 1104 prefix.
Barley Exports by Country
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of raw barley during 2021.
- Australia: US$2 billion (19.5% of total barley exports)
- France: $1.7 billion (16%)
- Ukraine: $1.2 billion (11.3%)
- Russia: $966.8 million (9.3%)
- Canada: $923.1 million (8.9%)
- Germany: $731 million (7%)
- Argentina: $607.3 million (5.8%)
- Romania: $499.5 million (4.8%)
- Denmark: $250.6 million (2.4%)
- United Kingdom: $200.8 million (1.9%)
- Hungary: $184.2 million (1.8%)
- Czech Republic: $119.8 million (1.2%)
- Bulgaria: $113.6 million (1.1%)
- Poland: $109.1 million (1%)
- Sweden: $92.5 million (0.9%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 92.8% of global barley exported in 2021.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing barley exporters since 2020 were: Australia (up 122.5%), Romania (up 103.8%), Poland (up 94.1%) and Czech Republic (up 74.8%).
The sole country that posted a decline in its exported barley sales were the United Kingdom via a -34.4% drop.
Countries Generating Greatest Surpluses Trading Barley
The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for barley during 2021. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the surplus between the value of each country’s exported barley and its import purchases for that same commodity.
- Australia: US$2 billion (net export surplus up 122.5% since 2020)
- France: $1.6 billion (up 22.2%)
- Ukraine: $1.2 billion (up 32.9%)
- Russia: $964.9 million (up 8.2%)
- Canada: $866.5 million (up 50.3%)
- Argentina: $602.9 million (up 36.5%)
- Romania: $406.9 million (up 255.1%)
- Germany: $376.4 million (up 108.2%)
- Denmark: $236.6 million (up 68.6%)
- Hungary: $172.6 million (up 23.1%)
- United Kingdom: $165.6 million (down -41.3%)
- Bulgaria: $112.6 million (up 70.7%)
- Czech Republic: $106.6 million (up 83.3%)
- Sweden: $79.8 million (up 8%)
- Poland: $68.5 million (up 371.8%)
Overtaking France in 2021, Australia generated the highest surplus in the international trade of barley. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms both countries’ strong competitive advantages for this specific product category.
Countries Incurring Worst Deficits Trading Barley
The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for barley during 2021. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the deficit between the value of each country’s imported barley purchases and its exports for that same commodity.
- China: -US$3.2 billion (net export deficit up 72.8% since 2020)
- Saudi Arabia: -$1.1 billion (up 82.9%)
- Turkey: -$629.9 million (up 291.7%)
- Netherlands: -$613.3 million (up 24.6%)
- Belgium: -$478 million (up 26.1%)
- Japan: -$324.5 million (up 7%)
- Iran: -$301.1 million (down -35.3%)
- Tunisia: -$268.7 million (up 33.3%)
- Libya: -$223.7 million (up 61.4%)
- Jordan: -$179.9 million (up 49.9%)
- Thailand: -$174.8 million (up 1.4%)
- Algeria: -$174.1 million (up 4.7%)
- Vietnam: -$162.6 million (up 140.3%)
- Italy: -$142.5 million (up 72.2%)
- Brazil: -$140.4 million (down -14.8%)
Mainland China posted the highest deficit in the international trade of barley. In turn, this negative cashflow highlights strong Chinese competitive disadvantages for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for barley-supplying countries that help satisfy the powerful consumer demand.
Types of Barley-based Drinks
The following beverages are made with barley as one of the key ingredients.
- barley water
- barley wine
- barley-based soft drinks
- beer
- expresso-style hot drinks
- instant barley cereal drinks
- malt whisky
- malted milk
- roasted barley tea
- roasted grain beverages
Searchable List of Barley Exporting Countries in 2021
The 82 international suppliers in the automated database below represent 100% of barley exported around the globe during 2021.
| Rank | Exporter | Barley Exports (US$) | 2020-1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Australia | $2,032,145,000 | +122.5% |
| 2. | France | $1,666,222,000 | +22.2% |
| 3. | Ukraine | $1,172,981,000 | +33.7% |
| 4. | Russia | $966,774,000 | +7.6% |
| 5. | Canada | $923,128,000 | +54.1% |
| 6. | Germany | $730,951,000 | +51.9% |
| 7. | Argentina | $607,349,000 | +35.9% |
| 8. | Romania | $499,496,000 | +103.8% |
| 9. | Denmark | $250,610,000 | +61.2% |
| 10. | United Kingdom | $200,750,000 | -34.4% |
| 11. | Hungary | $184,219,000 | +22.5% |
| 12. | Czech Republic | $119,808,000 | +74.8% |
| 13. | Bulgaria | $113,647,000 | +71.2% |
| 14. | Poland | $109,082,000 | +94.1% |
| 15. | Sweden | $92,538,000 | +7.4% |
| 16. | Spain | $84,488,000 | +228.1% |
| 17. | United States | $71,682,000 | +51.8% |
| 18. | Uruguay | $68,423,000 | +684.7% |
| 19. | Lithuania | $65,820,000 | -11.5% |
| 20. | Estonia | $55,967,000 | +0.8% |
| 21. | Kazakhstan | $47,702,000 | -72.9% |
| 22. | Croatia | $39,050,000 | +62.5% |
| 23. | Turkey | $38,731,000 | +1388% |
| 24. | Latvia | $37,185,000 | +57.4% |
| 25. | Slovakia | $35,349,000 | +47.5% |
| 26. | Moldova | $32,159,000 | +847% |
| 27. | Belgium | $30,233,000 | -16.3% |
| 28. | Serbia | $29,576,000 | +88.6% |
| 29. | Netherlands | $27,773,000 | +30.7% |
| 30. | Austria | $23,692,000 | +23.7% |
| 31. | Finland | $17,286,000 | -47.9% |
| 32. | Ireland | $7,941,000 | -9.6% |
| 33. | Azerbaijan | $7,116,000 | 0% |
| 34. | Slovenia | $5,404,000 | +55.2% |
| 35. | North Macedonia | $2,377,000 | +415.6% |
| 36. | South Africa | $2,221,000 | +129.4% |
| 37. | Luxembourg | $2,191,000 | -22.4% |
| 38. | Vietnam | $1,736,000 | +8167% |
| 39. | Italy | $1,708,000 | -81.8% |
| 40. | Kenya | $1,580,000 | +18.4% |
| 41. | Belarus | $1,224,000 | +80.8% |
| 42. | Portugal | $969,000 | -46.6% |
| 43. | India | $891,000 | +3.6% |
| 44. | Georgia | $612,000 | +1013% |
| 45. | Syria | $600,000 | -99% |
| 46. | Switzerland | $573,000 | +2.7% |
| 47. | Singapore | $347,000 | +144.4% |
| 48. | Philippines | $331,000 | +143.4% |
| 49. | Greece | $292,000 | -85.6% |
| 50. | Peru | $281,000 | +462% |
| 51. | South Korea | $275,000 | -12.4% |
| 52. | Norway | $270,000 | +12.5% |
| 53. | New Zealand | $239,000 | -32.3% |
| 54. | Pakistan | $226,000 | +564.7% |
| 55. | Chile | $164,000 | -35.2% |
| 56. | Kyrgyzstan | $112,000 | 0% |
| 57. | Tanzania | $81,000 | +200% |
| 58. | Japan | $64,000 | -1.5% |
| 59. | China | $61,000 | +8.9% |
| 60. | Bosnia/Herzegovina | $59,000 | +84.4% |
| 61. | Malaysia | $50,000 | -65% |
| 62. | Ecuador | $36,000 | 0% |
| 63. | Israel | $29,000 | 0% |
| 64. | Uganda | $23,000 | -94.4% |
| 65. | Guatemala | $13,000 | -13.3% |
| 66. | United Arab Emirates | $12,000 | -99.9% |
| 67. | Yemen | $12,000 | 0% |
| 68. | Bangladesh | $11,000 | 0% |
| 69. | Nepal | $8,000 | 0% |
| 70. | Namibia | $5,000 | 0% |
| 71. | Thailand | $5,000 | -87.8% |
| 72. | Hong Kong | $4,000 | -97.7% |
| 73. | Algeria | $3,000 | 0% |
| 74. | Ethiopia | $3,000 | 0% |
| 75. | Cyprus | $2,000 | 0% |
| 76. | Sri Lanka | $2,000 | -66.7% |
| 77. | Iran | $2,000 | 0% |
| 78. | Taiwan | $2,000 | -50% |
| 79. | Jordan | $1,000 | -99.9% |
| 80. | Guyana | $1,000 | 0% |
| 81. | Brazil | $1,000 | -75% |
| 82. | Djibouti | $1,000 | 0% |
The fastest growers in terms of money collected from their barley exports are: Vietnam (up 8,167% from 2020), Turkey (up 1,388%), Georgia (up 1,013%), Moldova (up 847%), Uruguay (up 684.7%) and Pakistan (up 564.7%).
Note that you can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of any of the columns above. An entry of 0% in the right-most column means 2020 data was unavailable.
Countries Exporting Most Barley by Shipment Weight
The worldwide total for barley shipped in 2021 was 42.5 million tons, up by 9.8% from 38.7 million tons in 2017. Year over year, global shipments grew by 14.9% from 37 million tons during 2020.
Listed below are the top 15 counties that exported the greatest amounts of barley in terms of shipment tonnage.
- Australia: 8,758,485 tons of exported barley (down -1.9% from 2020)
- France: 6,547,400 tons (up 15.8%)
- Ukraine: 5,344,595 tons (up 10.1%)
- Russia: 3,962,674 tons (down -14.5%)
- Canada: 3,510,913 tons (up 83.1%)
- Germany: 3,029,892 tons (up 23.6%)
- Argentina: 2,506,874 tons (down -2.2%)
- Romania: 2,097,712 tons (up 45.4%)
- Denmark: 969,925 tons (down -0.3%)
- Czech Republic: 544,745 tons (up 4.9%)
- Poland: 453,763 tons (up 568.7%)
- Bulgaria: 431,761 tons (up 37.2%)
- Sweden: 374,115 tons (down -12.4%)
- United States: 311,383 tons (up 124.4%)
- Lithuania: 270,251 tons (up 44.9%)
The greatest gainers from 2020 to 2021 in terms of physical shipment volume were Poland (up 568.7%), United States of America (up 124.4%), Canada (up 83.1%), Romania (up 45.4%) then Lithuania (up 44.9%).
Average Prices for Barley by Major Export Countries
The worldwide average unit price for barley exports was US$245 per ton in 2021. That dollar average represents a 36% increase from $180 per ton during 2017 and a 21.8% inflation rate from an average $201 per ton for 2020.
Listed below are average unit prices for the top 15 barley exporters worldwide. They are listed in ascending order starting with countries that exported the highest overall dollar value worth of barley.
- Australia: US$232 per ton of exported barley (up 8.4% from 2020)
- France: $254 per ton (up 26.4%)
- Ukraine: $219 per ton (up 25.9%)
- Russia: $244 per ton (up 34.8%)
- Canada: $263 per ton (up 23.5%)
- Germany: $241 per ton (up 21.1%)
- Argentina: $242 per ton (up 18%)
- Romania: $238 per ton (up 26.6%)
- Denmark: $258 per ton (up 18.9%)
- United Kingdom: $163 per ton (down -34.4%)
- Czech Republic: $220 per ton (up 22.2%)
- Bulgaria: $263 per ton (up 33.5%)
- Poland: $240 per ton (up 29%)
- Sweden: $247 per ton (up 21.1%)
- Spain: $270 per ton (up 3.8%)
Average unit prices above the world benchmark of $245 per ton are charged by barley exporters in Spain ($270 per ton-estimated), Canada and Bulgaria ($263 per ton), Denmark ($258 per ton), France ($254 per ton) and Sweden ($247 per ton).
The lowest average prices among the listed competitors apply to barley shippers in the United Kingdom ($163 per ton-estimated), Ukraine ($219 per ton), Czech Republic ($220 per ton) and world-leading barley supplier Australia ($232 per ton).
See also Corn Exports by Country, Wheat Exports by Country, Rice Exports by Country and Top Fertilizers Exports by Country
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on June 8, 2022
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on June 8, 2022
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on June 8, 2022
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on June 8, 2022
Wikipedia, general description of barley and its uses. Accessed on June 8, 2022
Wikipedia, List of barley-based beverages. Accessed on June 8, 2022
