Barley Market Size and Share - Outlook Report, Forecast Trends and Growth Analysis (2025-2034)

The barley market attained a volume of 147.20 MMT in 2024. The market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 2.10% during the forecast period of 2025-2034. By 2034, the market is expected to reach 181.20 MMT.

Rising beer consumption is driving the barley market, particularly due to the essential role of malted barley in brewing. With the growing global beer demand, especially in emerging markets, such as China, India, and Southeast Asia, the need for high-quality malting barley is also surging. According to industry reports, the worldwide beer consumption touched 187.9 million kilolitres in 2023, significantly increasing the demand for specialty malts and consequently driving the barley market growth.

Breweries are further entering long-term contracts and investing in sustainable sourcing with barley farmers for ensuring consistent supply in beer production. In March 2025, Soufflet Malt and HEINEKEN Beverages announced a EUR 100 million partnership to establish a state-of-the-art malting facility beside HEINEKEN’s Sedibeng Brewery in Johannesburg, South Africa. Furthermore, farmers are also leveraging GPS-guided equipment, drones, and remote sensing to enhance barley yield and efficiency.

Innovations in production are significantly impacting the barley market outlook for improving yield, quality, and sustainability. In May 2025, Scientists at GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology developed UPB 1106, a high-yielding six-row barley variety offering improved yields, disease resistance, and nutritional value. These advances are helping to meet the rising demand from brewing, feed, and food industries by ensuring consistent, high-quality barley production across diverse growing regions worldwide.

Key Trends and Recent Developments

June 2025

Carlsberg launched Grobund, its first beer brewed with regeneratively grown barley malt at Denmark’s Folkemødet festival. This marked Carlsberg’s commitment towards sustainable sourcing and regenerative agriculture with aims to improve soil health and reduce emissions as part of its broader strategy to transition all raw materials by 2040.

February 2025

AB InBev India introduced the SmartBarley Program for significantly strengthening the barley supply chain by engaging over 2,000 farmers in Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. The program is expected to consistently achieve 100% performance across key metrics, farmer skill development, digital connectivity, and financial empowerment, over three consecutive years.

October 2024

REBBL launched 26g Protein Shakes featuring upcycled barley protein, EverPro®, developed by AB InBev’s subsidiary EverGrain. These ready-to-drink shakes are available at Target stores in the United States and come in three flavours. The shakes are also vegan, soy-free, and Non-GMO Project Verified.

September 2024

St Austell Brewery partnered with 19 Cornish farms to harvest around 2,000 tonnes of barley to brew approximately 24 million pints of beer. This partnership supported local agriculture and strengthened the brewery’s commitment to sustainable, locally sourced ingredients whilst ensuring traceability from grain to glass, reinforcing consumer trust and product integrity.

Increasing Livestock Feed Demand

Rising meat consumption in emerging countries, such as China, India, and the Middle East is propelling feed trade, adding to the barley market expansion. Supporting with industry reports, exports of Australian barley for feed from 2020-21 to 2022-23 reached an annual average of USD 2.5 billion. With rising incomes and shifting dietary preferences toward protein-rich foods, meat consumption is expected to favour the market growth.

Growing Functional Food Market

The barley market value is growing due to its dietary fibre and beta-glucans content, making it increasingly popular in functional foods. Health-aware consumers are largely seeking barley-enriched foods for digestive health and reduced cholesterol, further spurring product launches. In November 2022, Salalah Mills launched a nutritious barley flour, rich in vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibre for healthier bread options. Rising incorporation into cereals, bakery items, and plant-based products is adding to the industry growth.

Expansion in Organic and Non-GMO Production

The global shift towards organic food is boosting the barley market development with increasing focus on organic production. For instance, in March 2025, BASF partnered with Boortmalt to produce Europe’s first net-zero barley, cutting 90% carbon emissions via certified carbon farming practices in Ireland. With farmers earning premium prices, consumers are increasingly choosing organic barley for perceived health and environmental benefits. This is creating strong incentives for continued expansion in certified barley cultivation worldwide.

Technological Innovation and Precision Agriculture

The rapid growth of precision agriculture is influencing the barley industry to enable farmers to optimize inputs like water, fertilizers, and pesticides. Growers are largely adopting technologies to achieve higher yields and better crop quality while reducing environmental impacts. For instance, in April 2025, the OzBarley Initiative was introduced to integrate genetic and trait data to accelerate barley breeding while boosting climate resilience and food security in Australia. Such practices are also enhancing soil health and aligning with sustainability goals, further driving the appeal of barley as a climate-smart crop.

Policy Support and Public Funding

The surge in government initiatives for backing production with research funding and crop insurance is adding to the barley market revenue. Catering to this trend, in June 2024, the Canadian government spent USD 5.2 million to aid barley research for creating more sustainable, resistant crop types while promoting long-term profitability and environmental gains for Canadian producers. Climate risk protection and subsidies are also stabilizing barley markets while promoting sustainable production.

Barley Industry Segmentation

The report titled “Barley Market Report and Forecast 2025-2034” offers a detailed analysis of the market based on the following segments:

Market Breakup by Application

• Food, Seed, Industrial
• Feed

Key Insight: The feed segment is dominating the global barley market, backed by widespread usage in livestock and poultry nutrition given its high fibre and energy content. Australia is exporting large quantities of feed barley to Asia and the Middle East for supporting intensive animal farming industries. With growing meat consumption worldwide, the demand for animal feed continues to rise. According to industry reports, Global meat consumption is expected to touch about 453 million tonnes in 2025, further reinforcing barley’s key role in this segment.

Market Breakup by Region

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East and Africa

Key Insight: North America records a significant share of the barley market, driven by the expanding agricultural sectors in the United States and Canada. The region is a leading producer of malting barley, essential for the thriving brewing industry. Supporting with industry reports, producers in the United States harvested 1.875 million acres of barley to reach a total production of 143.8 million bushels in 2024. Innovations, such as sustainable farming practices and precision agriculture are helping to enhance yield and quality. The growing demand for barley in animal feed and health foods is also supporting the market expansion.

Barley Market Share

Barley to Record Huge Popularity in Food, Seed, Industrial Applications

The food, seed, and industrial segment in the barley market is gaining traction due to the rising awareness of functional foods. Barley is increasingly used in health-conscious food products for its beta-glucan content to aid in cholesterol reduction and digestive health. For instance, in February 2025, Otsuka Foods launched Mannan Gohan with barley and brown rice for offering five times more fiber. In the seed market, high-yield and disease-resistant barley varieties are in demand for sustainable farming. Industrially, barley is used in biofuels and cosmetics. This segment is growing steadily, especially with the environmental benefits of barley-based industrial applications.

Barley Market Regional Analysis

Thriving Barley Industry in Europe & Asia-Pacific

Europe barley market share is growing with surging rate of production in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, especially for malting to cater to beer brewing applications. The region is benefitting from advanced farming technologies and the strong governmental support for sustainable agriculture. Europe has a well-developed barley processing industry that serves the food, feed, and brewing sectors. The increasing consumer preference for organic and non-GMO barley products is also driving market growth opportunities.

Asia-Pacific represents a growing segment of the barley market, with increasing awareness of its nutritional benefits and hefty investments in sustainable agriculture. The region’s barley production is largely supporting by the animal feed and brewing industries. The rising rate of Australia exports of significant quantities of malting barley, especially to Asian markets, is also influencing the regional product uptake. As per industry reports, Australia exported 679,112 tonnes of barley in December 2024, with China accounting for the maximum amount.

Competitive Landscape

Key players in the barley market are deploying strategies to reinforce their market position whilst capitalizing on growth opportunities. With product diversification, companies are proliferating their barley varieties as well as related offerings to cater to different end-use sectors including animal feed, brewing, and food processing. This is helping in serving the evolving consumer preferences and regulatory requirements. Geographic expansion is compelling firms to target emerging markets and regions with thriving barley demand to boost their global footprint. Involvement in high-tech agricultural technologies and sustainable agriculture is playing an influential role with companies emphasizing increasing crop yields and reducing environmental footprints for optimizing productivity and sustainability requirements. Additionally, industry players are focusing on vertical integration by owning multiple levels of the barley value chain from cultivation and processing to distribution to achieve quality control and cost saving. Strategic research and development activities are also facilitating innovations in barley cultivation and processing technologies to facilitate differentiated product offerings.

Soufflet Group

Founded in 1932, Soufflet Group is headquartered in France and specializes in grain collection, malting, and agri-food services. The company provides comprehensive solutions across the agricultural value chain, including grain trading, malt production, and logistics for serving customers worldwide with robust focus on quality and innovation.

Malteurop Groupe

Founded in 1934 and headquartered in France, Malteurop Groupe is a leading producer of high-quality malt for the brewing and distilling industries, supported by a global network of malting plants. The group focuses on sustainable practices and delivering tailored solutions to meet the growing customer needs.

GrainCorp Limited

GrainCorp Limited, headquartered in Australia, was founded in 1917 and operates as an agribusiness company for offering grain storage, handling, marketing, and processing services. GrainCorp plays a vital role in the agricultural supply chain by connecting growers and customers with an emphasis on operational efficiency and market responsiveness.

Boortmalt Group

Boortmalt Group, founded in 2003 and headquartered in Belgium, is a prominent malt producer with operations across Europe. The company provides malt for brewing and distilling by focusing on quality, sustainability, and customer collaboration. Boortmalt’s integrated approach also ensures reliable supply and innovation in the malting industry.

Other players in the barley market are Cargill, Incorporated, among others.

Key Features of the Barley Market Report:

• In-depth quantitative analysis of global barley market size and growth forecast.
• Detailed segmentation by application, and geographic regions with trend insights.
• Comprehensive competitive landscape profiling key players and market shares.
• Analysis of supply chain dynamics, production, consumption, and trade patterns.
• Evaluation of factors driving demand, challenges, and emerging market opportunities.
• Market forecasts supported by historical data and expert stakeholder interviews.

Why Choose This Research?

• Trusted industry insights backed by rigorous data analysis and expert validation.
• Accurate forecasts enabling strategic business planning and risk management.
• Customized research solutions catering to diverse client requirements.
• Extensive global and regional market coverage ensuring comprehensive understanding.