Barley battle: Exporters throw support behind Australia’s move to take China to the WTO

Australian exporters have thrown their support behind a Morrison government move to take China to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) over the country’s trade strike on barley.

It’s only the third time that Australia has taken another country to the WTO in the past 20 years.

Chairman of GrainGrowers, Brett Hosking says it’s a “positive move” to reopen communication between the two countries.

“In the first 60 days of the process, China have to agree to a mediation process and that’s probably the most exciting thing because at the moment we know … the governments aren’t talking,” he told Stephen Quartermain and Tony Leonard, filling in for Ross and Russel.

Mr Hosking says growers aren’t getting the price they should for premium barley.

“We’re seeing very little premium for very good malt barley,” he said.

“That good quality malt barley is actually being exported to countries that use it as dog feed, instead of it going into a nice cold beer or a fine spirit, it’s going down a cow’s throat.”

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