France: Wet weather may have damaged winter barley, wheat crops in France

The state of soft wheat in the largest European Union producer France are close to last year’s four-year low, data from farm office FranceAgriMer showed on February 14, confirming concerns that wet winter weather may have damaged crops, Business Recorder reported on February 16.

First ratings on the condition of cereals in France after a winter pause showed that 73% of soft wheat was in good or excellent condition by February 10, slightly above a four-year low of 68% a year ago. By the same stage in 2023, 93% of soft wheat was rated good or excellent.

French crops have been hurt by heavy rain that has delayed plantings and hampered early growth, raising concern about a repeat of last year’s rain-hit harvest that was the smallest since the 1980s.

In its latest forecasts France’s farm ministry confirmed on February 4 a rebound from last year’s rain-hit planting but warned that soggy conditions could also hurt the 2025 crop. Last year’s poor harvest is expected to bring a fall of about 30% in French wheat exports this season.

FranceAgriMer also said it rated 68% of winter barley in good or excellent condition, down from 71% in the same week of 2024. That was the lowest level since the same week in 2020, data showed. Spring barley sowings were 23% complete, up from 20% last year but below the 24% five-year average, the office said.

For durum wheat, 84% of the crops were in good or very good condition, up from 75% a year earlier, while sowing was 89% complete, versus an average 93% for the past five years, the office said. Farmers had finished sowing soft wheat and winter barley.