France: Barley condition declines sharply in farm office’s weekly report

The condition of French wheat and barley crops declined sharply last week, marking a third successive weekly fall, farm office FranceAgriMer said, suggesting a dry spell was affecting crops in the European Union's biggest cereal producer.

Warm, dry weather in the past month has raised concern about low moisture levels in France after a very dry winter.

In its weekly crop report on April 28, FranceAgriMer estimated that 78 percent of soft wheat crops were in good or excellent condition as of April 24, compared with 85 a week earlier.

Winter barley was rated 71 percent good or excellent, down from 78 percent a week earlier, while spring barley was rated 80 percent good/excellent against 85 percent the prior week.

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