French wheat condition cut again on cold weather: FranceAgriMer

FranceAgriMer cut its rating for soft wheat deemed in good or excellent condition for a third consecutive week due to persistent cold winter wheat, as its condition nears a five-year low, according to a report published Friday.

According to a report published Friday by the state body, the volume of French wheat in good to excellent condition now stands at 80%, down one percentage point on the week, and down five points over the last three weeks.

That figure compares to a good to excellent rating of 92% this time last year.

The condition of French wheat in mid-March was only worse during the 2014/15 campaign when the good to excellent rating was at 78%.

Wheat rated poor to very poor went up by one point to 6% on the week, compared to a level of 1% this time last year.

On the contrary to soft wheat, durum wheat conditions saw an improvement in the last week, with the hard wheat acreages deemed in good or excellent condition at 77%, up from 75% the week before, while the poor or real poor rating lost a point on the week to 4%.

French durum wheat condition remains, however, at a four-year low and compared to a good or excellent rating of 81%, this time last year.