France: Winter barley showing extremely contrasting yields and good crop quality

France's winter barley harvest is showing extremely contrasting yields and good crop quality, Reuters reported on July 3 citing grain group Soufflet.

"There are very varied yields depending on the region. We are seeing the effects of the excess rainfall in autumn and then the drought in spring," Francois Berson, director of crop procurement at Soufflet, said in a video presentation.

Winter barley yields were ranging from 2 tonnes per hectare (t/ha) to 10 t/ha, Soufflet, one of France's biggest grain handlers, said in a video caption.

Winter barley is the first major cereal to be gathered in the French crop cycle and offers pointers to later harvesting of soft wheat, France's biggest cereal crop.

Farm office FranceAgriMer estimates that farmers had cut 41% of the winter barley crop area by June 29.

France's farm ministry last month forecast winter barley production would fall nearly 12% this year, with average yield seen declining to 6.3 t/ha from 7.1 t/ha last year.

Analysts and traders are expecting a sharp fall in French wheat and barley output this year due but there is uncertainty over the impact of the contrasting weather spells.

Winter barley was showing good calibration readings for malting while protein was averaging at a satisfactory 10.2-10.3%, although with wide variations like in yields, Berson said.

Spring barley harvesting was underway in western France and showing so far good yields of around 6 t/ha and decent quality, he said.

The soft wheat harvest was also starting on the west coast and early quality was satisfactory, Berson added, without giving a yield indication.

Rapeseed yields observed by Soufflet were ranging from 2 t/ha to 4 t/ha, depending on soil conditions, he said.