Riordan was pleased to participate in the 2025 AEGIC Australian Barley Seminars in China.

It was a valuable opportunity to learn more about the Chinese barley market and the growing opportunities for Australian grain.

The Australian delegation began the trip in Guangzhou, visiting leading agribusiness Haid Group and Pearl River Brewery. This was followed by the first Malting Barley Technical Seminar, which highlighted several new barley varieties and how Australian grain can support China’s livestock sector and sustainability goals.

In Beijing, we met with the Australian Embassy’s Agriculture team, who work hard behind the scenes to keep trade doors open for Australian exports. We also visited COFCO—one of China’s largest state-owned grain companies—and CADA (China Alcoholic Drinks Association), where we gained valuable market insights. The day wrapped up with a well-earned beer at Snow Brewery (CR Beer), the world’s largest beer brand by volume.

The final day included the second seminar, with sessions focused on breeding, traceability, sustainability, and the importance of clearly differentiating between feed and malting barley.

A clear message from Chinese barley buyers: they value a stable supply, stronger variety messaging, and long-term partnerships. Trust and open communication are the foundation of this relationship—and we have a strong platform to keep building on.

This visit was a great reminder of how important the Chinese market is for Australian barley—and how much our quality is respected. It also highlighted opportunities for improvement with better collaboration, clearer communication, and a more stable approach to barley variety development.

A big thank you to AEGIC for the opportunity to be part of this important trip.

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