PARIS: Ratings of French cereal crops steadied last week to halt a decline in the three previous weeks, data showed on Friday, suggesting rain this month has helped crops after a parched April. One of France’s driest and warmest Aprils on record had rapidly dried out fields, raising concerns about yield loss in the European Union’s biggest grain producer. But like in other parts of the EU, the return of rain this month is expected to have improved field conditions. For soft wheat, France’s most-produced cereal, 80percent of crops were in good or excellent condition by May 11, unchanged from a week earlier and up from 73percent a year ago, farm office FranceAgriMer said on Friday.
For winter barley, 76percent of the crop was in good or excellent condition by Monday, also stable from a week earlier and up from 68percent a year earlier. The corresponding spring barley score edged up to 86percent from 85percent, surpassing a year-earlier 81percent. For grain maize, farmers had sown 95percent of the expected area, against 86percent a week earlier and 88percent a year ago. In its first maize ratings, FranceAgriMer
estimated that 90percent of the crop was in good/excellent condition, slightly above a year-earlier 88percent.
Much of France has experienced wet, chilly weather this week. Forecasts predict a warm, sunny spell will arrive next week. FranceAgriMer’s crop data, usually published at around 9 a.m. (0700 GMT) on Fridays, was delayed due to a public holiday on Thursday.
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