Barley production worldwide 2008/2009-2023/2024

The global production volume of barley amounted to about 151.62 million metric tons in the 2022/2023 crop year, increasing from around 145.37 million metric tons in 2021/2022.

Barley facts

Barley is a type of edible grain that is found in bread, cereal, soup, and beer. It is also commonly used as animal feed. It was one of the first grains to be domesticated by early humans and can be cultivated in a wide variety of climates across many geographical areas. Although its origins can be traced to ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt, as of 2023/24 the European Union was the leading producer of barley worldwide.

Global beer industry

Barley is commonly used in beer production, which is one of the most popular alcoholic beverages enjoyed worldwide. In 2022, some 1.89 billion hectoliters of beer were produced globally. That year, China was the top producer of beer, at over 360 million hectoliters. The United States and Brazil came in second and third place, respectively.