Production Statistics, Economics and Markets

Barley ranks fourth among the cereals in terms of total world production. The average production from 2000-2002 was 136,270,100 metric tonnes. The map below shows the distribution of production by country over the same time period.

Barley Production in the United States

• US production averages 400 million bushels per year with an annual value of $923 million as a raw commodity (1988 - 1997).
  
• Of the barley consumed domestically, approximately
  • 55% of the barley crop is used for animal feed
  • 39% for malt production
  • 3.5% as seed
  • 1.7% in food products
    
• Total value of the annual barley crop is
  • $184 million for barley and milled products
  • $48 million for malt and malt extracts
  • $332 million for beer.
    
• US production represents 5-10% of the world production.
  
• Largest importers of US barley are Japan and Mexico.

Major Barley Production Areas in the USA by County

Historically, the production of malt has continued to shift to the west over time. This trend was accelerated by the epidemic Fusarium head blight (Fusarium graminearum) in the upper Midwest. Idaho and the Pacific Northwest are increasingly important areas for malt barley production.