France raises wheat, maize crop estimates, cuts sugar beet
France’s farm ministry revised its 2024 crop projections, increasing soft wheat output to 25.6 million tons, although still 27% lower than 2023. Maize output was raised to 14.6 million tons, driven by a larger sown area, marking a 13% increase from 2023. However, the ministry lowered estimates for sunflowerseed and sugar beet crops, citing lower sugar content in the beets than originally expected. The heavy rains in France have significantly impacted wheat planting and crop development.
PARIS: France’s farm ministry on Tuesday raised its estimate of the country’s 2024 soft wheat and maize output while lowering the sunflowerseed and sugar beet crops, warning of lower sugar content in beets than initially expected.
In a monthly report, the ministry pegged the French soft wheat harvest this year at 25.6 million metric tons, up from 25.4 million estimated last month but still 27% down on 2023 and one of the smallest soft wheat harvests since the 1980s.
Repeated heavy rain in France, the European Union’s largest grain producer, reduced planting and hampered development of wheat crops. For maize, harvesting of which is still under way, the ministry raised its projection of 2024 output, including crops grown for seeds, to 14.6 million tons from 14.5 million last month, now 13% above 2023 and 10% higher than the 2019/23 average due mainly to a larger area sown.
Source Link : BusinessRecorder
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