French wheat conditions hold at 4-year low, maize planting picks up
French soft wheat crops stabilized at a four-year low last week, with 64% in good/excellent condition, unchanged from the previous week but down from 93% last year, according to FranceAgriMer. Maize planting accelerated, with 72% sown by Monday, although progress lagged behind last year’s pace. Despite a recent warm spell aiding field work, forecasts of more rain raise concerns for crop development and disease. France’s maize area is expected to increase by nearly 10% this year.
May 17 (Reuters) -The condition of French soft wheat crops steadied at a four-year low last week while maize planting accelerated, data from farm office FranceAgriMer showed on Friday, after a warm spell helped rain-soaked fields dry out.
For soft wheat, 64% of the crop was estimated to be in good or excellent condition by May 13, unchanged from the previous week but down from 93% a year earlier, FranceAgriMer said in a cereal crop report.
The score was the lowest for this time of year since 2020, when crops were also set back by heavy rain during planting.
France is the European Union’s biggest wheat grower and exporter. Weak crop development coupled with a sharp fall in the planted area could lead to a much smaller harvest this year.
The good/excellent score for durum wheat, used in pasta, edged up to 66% from 65% the previous week but remained at a four-year low for the period.
The corresponding rating for winter barley was unchanged at 66%, also a four-year low, while spring barley held steady at 74%, a two-year low.
For maize, 72% of the expected area had been sown by Monday against 54% the previous week, though progress trailed the year-earlier pace of 85% and an average of 91% for the same week over the past five years.
France’s farm ministry this week forecast that the maize area would jump by nearly 10% this year after wet weather disrupted sowing of earlier planted crops.
While last week’s summer-like weather helped field work, showers this week and more rain forecast next week could hamper planting.
A return to wet weather could also hinder a recovery in wheat conditions and heighten concerns about crop disease in damp fields.
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