PARIS: The state of soft wheat in the largest European Union producer France are close to last year’s four-year low, data from farm office FranceAgriMer showed on Friday, confirming concerns that wet winter weather may have damaged crops.
First ratings on the condition of cereals in France after a winter pause showed that 73% of soft wheat was in good or excellent condition by February 10, slightly above a four-year low of 68% a year ago. By the same stage in 2023, 93% of soft wheat was rated good or excellent.
French crops have been hurt by heavy rain that has delayed plantings and hampered early growth, raising concern about a repeat of last year’s rain-hit harvest that was the smallest since the 1980s.
In its latest forecasts France’s farm ministry confirmed on Tuesday a rebound from last year’s rain-hit planting but warned that soggy conditions could also hurt the 2025 crop. Last year’s poor harvest is expected to bring a fall of about 30% in French wheat exports this season.
FranceAgriMer also said it rated 68% of winter barley in good or excellent condition, down from 71% in the same week of 2024. That was the lowest level since the same week in 2020, data showed. Spring barley sowings were 23% complete, up from 20% last year but below the 24% five-year average, the office said.
For durum wheat, 84% of the crops were in good or very good condition, up from 75% a year earlier, while sowing was 89% complete, versus an average 93% for the past five years, the office said. Farmers had finished sowing soft wheat and winter barley.
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