ONIC sees lower French wheat yields but quality good

France's wheat crop, of which two thirds has been harvested, should be just below 36 million tonnes this summer due to lower yields but the quality was good, French office ONIC and grain producers said on Thursday. In its estimate earlier this month, ONIC pegged France's 2005 soft wheat crop at 36.26 million tonnes, down 3.3 percent on last season. The farm ministry has put it at 35.53 million.
"The yields are below the exceptional levels recorded last year but remain satisfactory around 7.3 tonnes per hectare on average," ONIC and Arvalis, the technical institute that is part of the grain producers group, said in a joint statement.
Yields were seen dropping most in the north, were they were seen between 0.5 and 1.0 tonne per hectare lower than last year.
In terms of quality, ONIC and Arvalis said they expected protein levels to rise from last year, above 12 percent.
Hagberg falling numbers were expected above 250 seconds, sometimes even higher than 300 seconds, which would make the wheat suitable for bread-making, it said.
Specific weights, another quality measurement, were also satisfactory, at between 76 and 82 kilograms per hectolitre in the north and between 76 and 80 kg/hl in the south.
"The 2005 vintage is thus proving to be of good quality," the statement said. Traders had expressed doubts about the quality of the French crop recently, putting pressure on prices, due to the rain that hit the north of the country where harvest is not yet complete.
The groups said the winter barley crop, almost all harvested, would have a national average yield at around 7.0 tonnes per hectare depending on the region. This would give a total winter barley crop at 7.2 million tonnes.
The quality was expected to be good, with protein levels at around 10.5 percent, despite lower than normal specific weights, they said.
The spring barley harvest was under way, with yields disappointing in places due to dry weather during growth.
France's spring barley crop was still expected at 3.2 million tonnes, they said. Protein levels would be between 10.5 and 11.5 percent.
ONIC has put the total barley crop (winter and spring) at 10.51 million tonnes, down 4.8 percent on last year.