Japan: Grain and Feed Update
In line with the declining livestock numbers, Japanese feed production decreased for the fourth consecutive year in MY2014/15 (October 2014 – September 2015). Japan typically imports the majority of its barley from Australia, Canada and the United States and the majority of its sorghum from Argentina and the United States. However, China’s imports of barley and sorghum increased dramatically in MY2014/15 – importing most of Australia’s exportable supply of barley and sorghum and most of the United States’ sorghum exportable supply. As a result, Japan was forced to diversify supply sources for barley and relied heavily on Argentina for sorghum.
