Barley for Food and Health: Science, Technology, and Products

9 Current Status of Global Barley
Production and Utilization
BARLEY PRODUCTION
Barley is one of the seven internationally grown cereal grains, currently ranking
fourth in world production behind maize, wheat, and rice and ahead of sorghum,
oats, and rye (FAO 2006). Barley’s rank among the major cereal grains in world
production has not changed greatly in the past 15 years. Roughly, barley production
in 2005 was 20% that of maize and 22% that of wheat and rice. World
barley production in 2005 was approximately 138 million metric tons (MMT)
produced on 56.6 million hectares (MH) (Table 9.1). Europe had the largest
growing area of barley, harvesting 28.8 MH and producing 83.2 MMT in 2005,
which was 60.3% of the total world barley production. North America (Canada
and the United States) ranked third in area harvested (5.2 MH) and production
(16.7 MMT), with 74.6% of the hectares harvested in Canada, accounting for
72.5% of the total North American production. Oceania and Africa produced
similar amounts, and South America produced the least. Yield per land area harvested
was greatest for North America, followed by Europe, South America,
Oceania, Asia, and Africa.
Total world barley production decreased significantly over the last 25 years
(Table 9.2). There was an increase in hectares harvested and tonnage produced
between the early 1960s and the late 1970s, although significant decreases in
production were reported over the next two decades. During the same period,
barley yields per unit of area harvested increased by nearly 60% (1.46 to 2.44
metric tons per hectare), and total volume produced was increased by 38.3%. The
increase in total production despite decreased harvested area may be attributed to
improved genotypes and modern cultural practices, such as more effective weed
control, balanced fertilization, and irrigation. It is also a possibility that those
areas taken out of barley production were less productive than those that were
maintained in production (D. R. Clark, personal communication).
Barley for Food and Health: Science, Technology, and Products,
By Rosemary K. Newman and C. Walter Newman
Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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