French wheat conditions dip, other crops stable as harvest advances

Winter wheat crop advances at a slower pace compared to last year

French crop conditions were stable to slightly worse in the week to July 24, as the harvest of winter crops continued to advance, according to a weekly report by farm agency FranceAgriMer Friday.

Some 78% of the soft wheat crop was rated good to very good, down from 80% the previous week and compared with 63% in 2022.

View our wheat prices

The wheat harvest advanced by 24 percentage points to 83% complete as of July 24, behind last year’s 94% but ahead of the five-year average of 75%.

On average the harvest is three days behind last year and two days ahead of the five-year average.

Barley and durum wheat crops

The percentage of the winter barley crop considered good to very good meanwhile stable at 80%, which is also well above the 62% seen this time last year.

Harvest work on winter barley is now complete, on par with last year and ahead of the five-year average of 98%.

Durum wheat conditions were also stable at 67% good to very good, compared with 55% seen this time last year.

The durum harvest progressed by 10 percentage points to 99% complete, on par with last year and ahead of the five-year average of 93%.

Spring barley conditions were stable at 73% rated as good to very good, compared with the 48% recorded at the same point in 2022.

The spring barley harvest progressed by 22 percentage points to 91% complete, just ahead of last year’s pace of 90% and the five-year average of 65%.

Corn crop

Finally, corn crop conditions deteriorated slightly to 81% in good to very good state from 82% last week, compared with 68% in 2022.

Corn development remains about a week behind last year’s rate and is on par with the five-year average.

France is one of the biggest exporters of wheat and corn in the European Union, with wheat exports of 10.13 million mt recorded between July 1, 2022 and July 3, 2023, according to the European Commission.

What to read next
Four years after Russia’s unprovoked, attempted full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Fastmarkets examines how the war has reshaped the Ukrainian and global steel and grain markets, outlining the key challenges faced by these sectors as they have adapted and endured.
Wheat futures pushed higher across major exchanges on Friday February 20, supported by firm sentiment in the Black Sea and steady export premiums in key origins.
Fastmarkets’ weekly recap of the main movements in global cash markets.
The publication of Fastmarkets’ AG-WHE-0004 Wheat 10.5% FOB Australia W APW, AG-WHE-0005 Wheat 9.5% FOB Australia W ASW and AG-BRY-0001 Barley feed barley FOB Australia assessments for February 2 was delayed due to a technical reason. Fastmarkets’ pricing database has been updated.
After 26 years of discussion and strong opposition from European farmers, the European Union has approved the EU-Mercosur trade agreement on Friday January 9. The agreement provides for the gradual reduction of tariffs, common rules for trade in industrial and agricultural products, investments, and regulatory standards.
In today's market, effective food and beverage procurement is critical for profitability. However, many procurement teams face challenges due to fragmented data, where packaging and ingredient costs are managed in separate silos. This disconnect creates a massive blind spot, making it difficult to challenge supplier price hikes or accurately model total product costs.