LONDON: Britain's farm ministry on Thursday trimmed its estimate of this year's UK wheat crop to 13.95 million tonnes, down from the 14.09 million seen previously.

The crop is now down 6.0 percent from the prior season's 14.84 million, driven by a 6.2 percent decline in the average yield to 7.8 tonnes per hectare. There was a minimal rise in area of 0.3 percent to 1.80 million hectares.

Searing heat and a prolonged spell of dry weather curbed wheat production this year across northern Europe.

The UK barley crop was seen at 6.62 million tonnes, barely changed from a previous estimate of 6.61 million but down 7.6 percent from the prior season.

Rapeseed production was estimated at 2.07 million, marginally up from 2.05 million previously seen but down 4.3 percent from the prior season.