PARIS: Most wheat and barley crops in France, the European Union's biggest grain producer, remain in good condition as they reach the end of winter, data from farm office FranceAgriMer showed on Friday. An estimated 87 percent of French soft wheat crops were in good or excellent condition by Feb 22, FranceAgriMer said in a cereal crop report.

That was up from 86 percent a week earlier and well above a 64 percent score in the same week last year. For winter barley, 83 percent of crops were rated good/excellent, unchanged from a week earlier and up from a 66 percent score a year earlier.

The latest soft wheat and winter barley ratings were below scores of 96 percent and 94 percent respectively in FranceAgriMer's previous crop update at the end of November. But they suggest a limited immediate impact from freezing conditions in France this month. FranceAgriMer had interrupted its updates during the winter dormancy period for crops. It had been due to resume the cereal reports last Friday but a technical issue delayed publication.

For spring barley, 20 percent of the expected area had been sown by Feb. 22, against 17 percent a week earlier and 28 percent a year ago, the office said.

Early spring barley drilling was held up by heavy rain and then cold weather in the past month, though a warm and dry spell this week was expected to help field work to pick up, traders said.