General News
6 March, 2026
FLASHBACK: March 6 1976
The season 1974/75 was a record breaking season in many ways for barley growers and the Australian Barley Board.
The chairman of the board, Mr. A. J. K. Walker, said yesterday that records had been broken in receivals, prices, sales and payments to growers.
Receivals by the board in South Australia and Victoria had far exceeded earlier expectations and the total receival of approximately 1,330,000 tonnes was a record.
The quantity of 1,061,000 tonnes of barley received in South Australia was an all-time record, exceeding the previously highest receival of 870,000 tonnes in the season 1971-72.
Present indications were that receivals in Victoria would be approximately 270,000 tonnes, which was just below the previous record of 273,000 tonnes in the season 1971-72.
Despite the record high receivals, the board had completed the successful sale or commitment of virtually all barley received at excellent prices.
Mr Walker said that overseas prices had reached a record peak in December and although there had been some decline since, prices had again firmed and were still higher than for the previous season.
This, combined with a substantial quantity of barley sold to Victorian maltsters for the manufacture of malt for export at world parity prices, would enable Victorian growers to benefit from the high overseas prices.
The rates of the first advance were a record, and it was estimated that an additional amount of approximately $24.00 per tonne would eventually be distributed to Victorian growers who delivered barley to the Board this season.
This would mean a total payment in excess of $82 per tonne for all grades of barley, the most ever paid to barley growers for barley from any one season.
With regard to further payments on barley of the 1973-74 season, Mr Walker said that there was an amount of approximately $9.50 per tonne still to be distributed and it was expected that portion would be paid to growers in a third payment to be made early in April.