Crop Reports

<editor's note>
You Can't make Beer without Barley & Hops…..So pay Attention to the Crop Reports
From the Siebel News email letter
</editor's note>

2002 Canadian Malting Barley Crop Among The Worst In Decades

Canadian news sources are estimating that this year's Canadian grain crops
will suffer dramatically from the prolonged drought that has hit the Canadian
Prairie Provinces. Saskatchewan & Alberta have reported substantial
reductions in both the yield and the quality of grain throughout the region,
including malting barley. The Canadian Wheat Board web site posted a
"commentary" a Pool Return Outlook (PRO) on September 12th , 2002, stating;

"Designated Barley
 
Significant developments in world malting barley markets have pushed global
prices higher in the past week and have led to today's release of a mid-month
PRO for designated barley. Returns for two-row and six-row are both forecast
to be up $13 per tonne. Coupled with significant crop losses in Western
Canada, lower than expected malting barley output in the European Union and
ongoing drought and now frost in Australia have changed the market dynamics
and are pushing bulk offshore prices higher. "


You can get more information about this year's barley at the Canadian Wheat
Board site at www.cwb.ca.





2002 Hop Crop Positive

The weather woes of the international barley crops have not conspired to
dramatically affect the quality or value of the 2002 hop crop. According to a
report from Ralph Olsen, General Manager of Hopunion CBS LLC, among the
Yakima aroma hops "the yields were pretty much average for this year and in
fact a little down for some varieties. The lower yields were most likely
caused by the very hot weather we encountered mid July thru August. These
conditions did hamper cone development and as a result many of the hops show
smaller than average size cones. The alpha content was most likely also
affected by the hot weather and appears to be a little lower for many
varieties. When all is said and done, the yield and alpha losses were
minimal."  

Mr. Olsen goes on to report, "As for the market place, the U.S. industry
still has an abundance of high alpha or bitter hops which are having
difficulty finding a profitable market if any market at all. The hop crop in
other countries in the northern hemisphere is now well under way. Germany
appears to have a very nice crop with good yields and alphas. England is
struggling a little more but also will have a good average crop. It appears
some of the Eastern countries like the Czech Republic, Poland and the like
are having some problems with alpha content being below normal. During the
recent flooding in the Czech area, some hop fields were affected. While
overall damage to the fields was minimal, it still has an affect on the total
crop in that area."

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