Ukrainian and foreign traders have already signed deals to export 1.5 to 2.0 million tonnes of barley from the new 2006 harvest, taking advantage of a relatively high crop, analysts said on Tuesday.
"In our opinion, in the approaching season (2006/07), barley exports will be very high, close to record volumes," UkrAgroConsult agriculture consultancy said in a statement.
The consultancy said the 2006 barley crop had already arrived on the market and the first exporter prices for the new crop were between $109 and $121 per tonne CPT Black Sea ports.
Ukraine harvested 8.9 million tonnes of barley in 2005 and analysts have said the country is likely to export 3.8 million tonnes of barley in the 2005/06 season compared with 4.3 million in 2004/05.
UkrAgroConsult said last month Ukraine's barley harvest might reach 11 million tonnes in 2006 and exports could rise to more than 4.0 million in 2006/07.
Ukraine exports its barley mostly to Saudi Arabia.