Wheat is the dominant grain grown in Australia. About 25 million tonnes is produced annually. According to the Australian Grains Export Innovation Centre, that accounts for just three per cent of the world’s wheat but between 10 and 15 per cent of the wheat trade. Australian barley is our nation’s second-largest grain crop, with an annual production of 9-10 million tonnes. We are  the world’s largest exporter of malting barley, with more than 30 per cent of the trade.

Barley is one of the most ancient grains, domesticated around 9000 BC and well established in Britain before the arrival of the Romans in 55 BC. It was among the grains brought to Australia by the First Fleet and the first crop was sown in 1788. However, early varieties, which had been imported from Europe, did not fare well in the high temperatures and droughts of the Australian climate.

It wasn’t until 1903 that the first Australian barley cultivar was developed by Sam Prior, a South Australian farmer. He selected seed from early-maturing plants of an English strain known as Chevalier and the variety was further distributed by a local maltster.  Initially named Prior’s Chevalier, it became commonly known as Prior and was the foundation of the Australian barley industry until the 1960s.

One of the principal uses of barley is in brewing. The grain is “malted” – steeped, allowed to ferment and then dried, converting starches to sugars. As well as for beer, malted barley is used in baking, confectionery, breakfast cereals, malt beverages, dairy products, condiments, and as a caramel substitute. Barley is also an important animal feed and pearl barley has long been a pantry staple in many Australian households.

From the 1930s through to the 1950s, an Australian barley product known as Mex Barley Kernels was promoted as a more convenient and digestible form of the grain. Advertising suggested its use in soups, casseroles, puddings, baked custards, drinks and as a breakfast cereal.

Although there were some efforts in Victoria and South Australia to develop new barley strains in the 1920s and 1930s, it wasn’t until the 1950s, with the formation of government-backed Barley Improvement Scheme that a significant breeding program began. The Barley Improvement Scheme was discontinued in 1980 in favour of a research levy for the whole of the Australian crop. Research is now conducted largely by private organisations and is coordinated by the Australian Government’s Grains Research and Development Corporation.

Australian barley growers faced a significant setback in 2020 when China imposed prohibitive tariffs on our export crop, forcing the industry to find new markets. These tariffs were lifted in 2023 and as of 2024 China again accounted for more than 75% of barley exports.