Australia leads $8.87 billion global barley export market in 2025
Global barley exports were valued at $8.87 billion in 2025, with Australia supplying 24.6% of the market. Export volume fell to 37.8 million tonnes, while China, Saudi Arabia and Iran recorded large trade deficits.
Australia takes nearly a quarter of export value
Global barley exports were worth $8.87 billion in 2025, according to data from World’s Top Exports. The total was 0.3% below the $8.9 billion recorded in 2024 and 17.3% below the $10.7 billion registered in 2021. Barley remains an important grain for livestock feed as well as food and industrial applications, making changes in supply relevant to feed producers, brewers, grain traders and importing governments.
Australia was the largest exporter, shipping $2,183,852,000 of barley and accounting for 24.6% of global export value. France ranked second with $1,440,680,000 and a 16.2% share, followed by Argentina at $762,842,000, Germany at $717,043,000 and Romania at $627,978,000. Together, these five suppliers controlled 64.6% of the market. The 15 largest exporters represented 92.5%, highlighting the concentration of internationally traded supply.
Volumes decline while average prices edge higher
Worldwide barley export volume fell to 37.8 million tonnes in 2025, down 1.9% from 38.6 million tonnes in 2024 and 12.9% from 43.4 million tonnes in 2021. Australia also led by volume with 9,007,969 tonnes. France exported 6,275,617 tonnes, Argentina 3,350,978 tonnes, Germany 3,284,558 tonnes and Romania 2,884,560 tonnes.
The average global export price rose 1.3% year on year to $234 per tonne, although it remained 5.3% below the 2021 average of $247. Australia’s average was $242 per tonne, compared with $230 for France and $228 for Argentina. Kazakhstan had the lowest reported average among the reviewed major exporters at $184 per tonne, while Denmark’s $265 was the highest in that group. Australia, Canada, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and Denmark all exported above the global average.
Europe dominates supply as deficit markets depend on imports
Europe supplied $4.63 billion of barley exports, equivalent to 52.2% of the global total. Oceania ranked second with 24.6%, driven mainly by Australia, while Latin America and the Caribbean accounted for 9.1%, North America 7.3%, Asia 6.6% and Africa 0.2%. Among major suppliers, Turkey posted the strongest annual increase in export value at 165.8%. Australia’s exports rose 32.7%, while Ukraine and Russia recorded declines of 62.9% and 62.2%, respectively.
Australia also recorded the largest net barley trade surplus at $2.2 billion, followed by France at $1.4 billion and Argentina at $762.8 million. China had the largest net deficit at $2.7 billion, despite a 29.1% year-on-year reduction. Saudi Arabia followed with a $1.1 billion deficit. Iran ranked fifth among deficit markets at $321.2 million, an increase of 181.2% from 2024. These deficits identify the markets most exposed to changes in export availability, freight costs and supplier pricing, while the concentration of supply gives production developments in Australia and Europe disproportionate influence over global trade conditions.
