PARIS: French farmers had harvested 10% of this year's soft wheat crop by July 6, compared with 4% a week earlier, farm office FranceAgriMer said on Friday. That was ahead of the 6% harvest progress estimated a year ago, FranceAgriMer's weekly cereal crop data showed.

Grain markets are waiting for French harvesting to reach the major northern crop belts to see the extent to which production could decline from last year's bumper crop.

France's farm ministry this week forecast that soft wheat production would fall 21% compared with last year due to adverse weather during the growing season, although some traders see its outlook as too low.

Unsettled weather last week is thought to have curbed field work after an early start to harvesting in late June, but a hot, dry spell in much of France this week is expected to have boosted harvest progress.

FranceAgriMer estimated that 55% of soft wheat was in good or excellent condition in the week to July 6, down from 56% a week earlier and the lowest since 2016 when France produced its worst wheat crop in three decades.

Winter barley harvesting was 64% complete by July 6 compared with 41% the previous week and slightly ahead of 63% progress a year earlier, the office said.

The spring barley harvest was 10% complete while durum wheat harvesting was 36% done, it estimated. For grain maize, mostly harvested in autumn, the good/excellent crop rating was unchanged on the week at 83%.