Feed barley bids in Western Canada were slipping in mid August as large global crop prospects contributed to the seasonal harvest pressure.
World barley production was forecast at 157.1 million tonnes in 2026-27 by the USDA in its Aug 12 world grain report. That was up by about 1.5 million tonnes from the July estimate and about 2.7 million tonnes above the 2025-26 crop.
Heat and dryness during the growing season cut into the European Union crop, which is forecast to be down seven per cent on the year at 52.3 million tonnes, according to the USDA. However, many other major barley producers are forecast to see steady to higher barley crops, with the Canadian crop forecast at 10 million tonnes by the USDA. That compares with 9.75 million tonnes last year and the current Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada forecast of 9.2 million tonnes.
In an August report compiled for the Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission, analysts Leftfield Commodity Research predicted Canadian barley production would be down by a million tonnes in 2026-27 compared to last year with global production also smaller.
Statistics Canada releases its first official production estimates for the marketing year on Aug. 31, which should provide a clearer picture on the size of the Canadian crop.
Weekly export sales data from the Canadian Grain Commission showed bulk barley exports for the 2025-26 crop year at a record 3.4 million tonnes, which far surpassed the 1.9 million tonnes moved the previous year.
Feed barley into the Lethbridge-area feedlots was priced at about C$274 to C$280 per tonne as of Aug. 10, losing as much as C$19 per tonne off the top end from the previous week, according to provincial government data. However, feed wheat and corn imports from the U.S. showed slight price increases on the week. Feed wheat delivered into Lethbridge ranged from C$295 to C$302 per tonne. Imported corn was up by about a dollar, at C$303 per tonne into Lethbridge.
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