Spring rains could make price of a pint tumble
By: JimOldfield
May 24th, 2012
Finally, there is some good news for real ale brewers… and maybe drinkers too!
As the price of a pint continues to soar as a result of beer taxes, it has been announced that the recent heavy rains have caused the international price of malting barley to drop sharply, after an increase in production.
Growers say that the rains of April and early May have left them “quietly optimistic” of bumper crops, and the improving situation has led to some suggestions that as much as 10p could be lopped off the price of a premium pint if the malt price cuts were passed on in full.
Last year’s shortage of rain and subsequent poor crop led farmers to plant extra malting barley – and the latest estimates for this year suggest EU production could be up six per cent this year, with nearly half a million more hectares of crops planted.
Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Denmark are the winners so far, with Spain continuing to have a poor year.
But the British Beer and Pub Association cautioned against over-optimism on falling pint prices – pointing out that barley prices were a relatively small part of the brewers’ production costs, given the effects of continuing problems such as the beer tax increases.
* Barley growers warned over choice of fungicides – click HERE.
