July 18, 2022

Wheat harvest in France far ahead of last season

Farm office FranceAgriMer said French farmers had harvested 50% of this year's soft wheat crop by July 11, compared to 14% a week earlier and far ahead of last season, after hot and dry weather accelerated crop development, Reuters reported.

By the same time in 2021, only 3% of the soft wheat crop had been harvested in France.

According to a cereal crop report from FranceAgriMer, 64% of soft wheat was reportedly in good or excellent condition, up from 63% the previous week but down from 76% last year.

With poor conditions in the south, significantly better ones in the north, and excellent ones in the far east, the details by region revealed contrasting results.

FranceAgriMer's report showed winter barley harvesting was nearly complete, with 97% of the crop collected by Monday compared to just 39% a year earlier and 83% the week prior.

Durum wheat harvesting was 82% finished, up from 50% the previous week, and 41% of the spring barley crop had been harvested, up from 14%.

Field work is anticipated to remain brisk as a second wave of warm, dry weather is predicted for the coming week.

However, analysts and producers warned that the anticipated high temperatures and scant rainfall could harm maize crops in France and other European nations at a critical time for pollination.

An estimated 83% of the maize crop was deemed good or excellent, which is a slight decline from the 84% rating from the previous week and from the 89% rating from a year ago.

-      Reuters