French soft wheat sowing

PARIS: French farmers had sown 67% of the expected soft wheat area for next year’s harvest by Nov. 6, compared with a revised estimate of 61% a week earlier, farm office FranceAgriMer said on Friday.

Heavy rainfall in France over the past two weeks has brought grain sowing nearly to a standstill in some parts of the European Union’s largest grain grower, which is likely to lead to a drop in yields, technical institute Arvalis said this week.

Grain maize harvesting was nearly finished, with 95% of the area cut by Monday, compared to 90% a week earlier, FranceAgriMer said in a cereal crop report.