Companies in the brewing industry should consider stockpiling quality malting barley in the near future, it has been suggested.
United States Department of Agriculture has released data which anticipates a drawdown on the amount of available malting quality in the EU, Food Manufacture reports.
Jolande de Ridder, Kerry Ingredients & Flavours EMEA marketing manager, told the publication that there are a number of factors that are reducing supply volume of good quality barley.
"Energy costs from malting have also risen compared to 2009, though still not quite at the highs of 2008, and malting capacity is not being fully utilised, especially in Europe," he said.
Barley output in Germany, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe has also been hit due to heavy rainfall, while Russian growers experienced a heatwave.
A study from Grocer magazine recently predicated that brewers will be forced to raise the average cost of a pint by 30 pence, due to the rising cost of commodities.
Typical Guttridge equipment used in the brewing industry includes:
