Barley ranks as the fourth most important cultivated food crop in Peru after rice, potato, and maize. By the year 2000 national production was nearly 150,000 tonnes and the productivity was 1.12 t ha-1. This low productivity is mainly due to the shallow and stony soils with low levels of fertility that are usually found in the steep mountains at altitudes over 3,000 m asl; to frost, drought, hail; and to the cultivation of varieties susceptible to diseases. In addition the farming technology applied to the barley cropping systems is generally low. Barley production in the past was primarily for family subsistence; but today there is an increasing amount of grain being produced for the local markets and for the food industry. Barley is used as both food and feed. In the highland region, 70% of produced barley grain is used directly for human consumption as pearled grain, flakes, and flour. The brewing industry imports barley and malt to supply the Peruvian beer demand. This cereal is originally an introduced foreign crop, but after many centuries of adaptation it has become a staple food, used mainly by the impoverished peasant communities.