NYSE Liffe, the Europe-based derivatives business of NYSE Euronext, is launching malting barley futures and options on 10 May 2010.
The NYSE Liffe Malting Barley Contract, which will encompass malting barley from any European origin in a 50-tonne lot size, has been designed to meet the growing demand for new price risk management tools from the European malting barley sector.
It is the only market available worldwide to meet the specific hedging requirements of maltsters, brewers and distillers as well as those engaged in the production and trade of malting barley.
Ian Dudden, director of commodity derivatives at NYSE Liffe, says: “We have seen unprecedented growth in our portfolio of agricultural futures and options contracts over recent years. Going forward, we expect malting barley to play an important part in the continued growth of this portfolio as demand for price risk management tools continues to increase across the European agricultural sector.”
Michel Costes, president of the Syndicat de Paris du Commerce et des Industries des Grains, adds: “The operators of the barley-malt-beer chain have always been very much united and quality-minded towards the consumer. However, their profitability has regularly been hampered by the difficulty in managing the price volatility of malting barley. Going forward, it will be possible to cover this risk and I am sure they will all benefit from using this new and essential tool for their business.”
