AmBev boosts production of barley in the South of the country

Farmers in the Rio Grande do Sul and Paraná who produce barley to Ambev this year expanded the area planted in 10% from 2015, to 56000 hectares, at the request of the company. The area corresponds to 58.5% of the total area planted to barley in the country this year. The goal is to reduce the dependence on imported grain from Argentina and Uruguay.
Last year, Ambev had to import between 80% and 90% of the barley that uses for malt production, due to a severe crop failure in Rio Grande do Sul. Marcelo Otto, Director of agribusiness of Ambev, said that, with the increase in area, the import of raw material can be reduced this year to less than 50% of the volume used by Ambev, if the harvest is good.
Luciano Horn, master brewer Ambev, said the company also performs a test planting in the Midwest, with support of Embrapa Trigo, to examine the possibility of increasing the production of barley in addition to the southern region. "It''s still a challenge to have enough barley production to meet demand," he said. The company also works with hundreds of varieties of barley to improve productivity in the country and obtain malts with different flavors. Horn said that there are tests with hops, but in incipient stage.
Bernardo P, President of Ambev, said that the company embraces diversity. "We have nothing against the pure malt, but why only one kind ought to be good?" he asked. In Executive assessment, the advancement of craft breweries in the country in recent years has the important role of bringing the creativity of master brewer for the knowledge of the public. "For us, the important thing is that the category grow and become increasingly relevant beer. It''s good that the cake grow, then we''ll see how to take our share, "he said.
The President of Ambev also said it maintains a strong focus on the segment of malt-based beverages category "near beer"-and in the expansion of the portfolio of Brahma and Skol.
Barley production in Brazil for Ambev meets two maltarias that the company owns in Porto Alegre and Passo Fundo (RS). Together, they have the capacity to produce 216,000 tonnes of malt per year, with average processing of 234,000 tons of barley. Ambev has, in all, six maltarias in South America, two in Uruguay, two in Argentina and two in Rio Grande do Sul.