The export run paused. Terminal barley exports fell to 29,800 tonnes after 126,800 the week before, ending three straight weekly rises, and were below three of the past five years for this week. For the season, terminal exports are still 3 per cent ahead of last year and well above the five-year average. 1 2 3
The bigger change came at the country elevators. They shipped only 22,900 tonnes, a third of the week before and far below every one of the past five years for this week. Farm deliveries were 41,100 tonnes, again the lowest for this week in six years. Because shipments fell even further than deliveries, country stocks rose by 16,000 tonnes, which that gap explains. They are now about at the five-year average and cover a little more than the usual number of weeks of shipments. Last week's reading was that elevators shipping hard would need more farm selling; this week they shipped little, so they could refill without it. 3 4
The ports felt it first. Port receipts were 20,800 tonnes, below all five past years for this week. Port stocks fell 12,600 tonnes, and the excess of all port outflow over receipts explains most of that fall. Port stocks are now 62 per cent below average and below every one of the past five years for this week, and at the recent pace of outflow they cover well under the usual number of weeks. The exhibits do not show why country shipments dropped so sharply. 3 5 4
Domestic use stayed firm. Barley processed at licensed plants was 12,200 tonnes, more than in this week of any of the past five years, and processing for the crop year so far is above the top of the five-year range. Deliveries straight to processors were below three of the past five years for this week, so plants drew a little on their own stocks in Alberta and Saskatchewan. 6 7 3
Provincial barley quotes moved in different directions. Alberta's quote fell by about C$14 a tonne in the week, while Saskatchewan's and Manitoba's barely changed. The Saskatchewan government's crop report of 5 November put only 16 per cent of the province's barley in malting grade, against a ten-year average of 31 per cent, so less of it than usual can be sold for malting. With port stocks this low, any new run of loadings would need country elevators to ship more, and with their stocks rebuilt, they can do that for a while before needing more farm deliveries. 8 9 4