Barley Harvest: Navigating Growth in Agriculture and Turbulence in Ticketing
In the vast and dynamic world of agriculture and entertainment, two seemingly unrelated entities share a common name: 大麦, or barley in English. On one hand, barley is a crop that has been cultivated for millennia, with evidence of wild grains being harvested along the Nile River around 10,500 BCE. The global barley market has been expanding, with projections indicating a robust growth in the barley malt flour market, expected to reach nearly USD 13.2 billion by 2030, and the roasted barley market, expected to reach USD 24.1 billion by 2030.
24 July 2025
Major entities like COFCO Group, a Chinese state-owned food processing, oil, and biofuel company, play a significant role in the barley market. COFCO Grain & Cereal, a specialized company under the COFCO Group, has been actively re-adapting to new situations and issues in the global barley market and domestic malt industry. The company has been expanding diversified procurement in traditional producing areas like France and Canada. Another key player is the US Grains Council, which focuses on developing export markets for US barley, corn, sorghum, and related products.
Scientific research is also ongoing to enhance barley's resilience and nutritional value. Studies are exploring the use of plant lactic acid bacteria to enrich polyphenols and flavonoids in quinoa and black barley, as well as evaluating nitrogen-efficient barley DH lines through mutation breeding combined with microspore culture. Furthermore, investigations into the structure, functional properties, and applications of barley proteins, particularly their role in beer brewing, are contributing to expanding their use in food processing.
However, the term 大麦 also refers to a major ticketing platform in China, Damai. Recent trending stories indicate that Damai is frequently in the news due to high demand for concert tickets, leading to incredibly competitive snatching scenarios. For example, a recent concert had 3.4 million people attempting to secure only 7,300 tickets. Another recent incident involved a system glitch that led to forced cancellations of tickets purchased for a Lu Han concert, causing significant user frustration.
The public reaction and social media sentiment surrounding Damai appears to be mixed, with both positive and negative comments, primarily related to events and ticket sales. While some users have expressed surprise and delight at successfully obtaining tickets, others have voiced frustration regarding ticketing issues, particularly highlighted by the Damai refund topic. Users have detailed major problems with concert tickets due to platform glitches, leading to forced refunds and significant user dissatisfaction. Proposed solutions, such as discounts and priority purchase rights, have been met with skepticism, indicating that users feel these remedies are insufficient given the inconvenience and disappointment caused.
Moreover, there is a recurring sentiment of negativity towards Damai as a ticketing platform, with users perceiving it as unreliable or difficult for securing tickets. Some users have even compared Damai unfavorably to other ticket-snatching apps, stating that they always have to rely on friends or other platforms to get tickets. Despite being associated with popular events and some positive experiences, Damai's operational issues have led to a perception of unreliability among a segment of its users. As the barley market continues to grow and expand, it remains to be seen whether Damai, the ticketing platform, can address its issues and regain the trust of its users.
