An estimated 92% of French soft wheat crops were in good or excellent condition by 7 March, down from 93% a week earlier but above a year-earlier rating of 88%, according to farm office FranceAgriMer.
Winter barley and durum wheat similarly saw slight declines in their weekly ratings but conditions remained favourable, with 89% and 88% of crops, respectively, rated good/excellent, FranceAgriMer said in a cereal crop report.
Like most of the European Union, France has seen generally favourable conditions for cereals.
Weather
Dryness that has affected Spain and other parts of the Mediterranean rim has started to develop in France, the EU's biggest grain producer, with western and central regions seeing low rainfall, FranceAgriMer said earlier this week.
"For the moment this is not impacting crop conditions but we are vigilant about zones with shallow soils," Catherine Cauchard, head of the office's crop monitoring unit, told reporters on Wednesday.
Showers forecast in the coming days in France could bring beneficial moisture, although a drier spell is expected from mid-March with mild temperatures.
Crop Conditions
Crop conditions in major production countries are in particular focus as Russia's invasion of Ukraine has disrupted massive Black Sea exports and threatens to further strain global availability of staple grains.
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For spring barley, the first major cereal crop to be drilled in France at the end of winter, sowing accelerated last week.
Some 76% of the expected area had been sown by Monday compared with 36% a week earlier although still below 84% progress seen a year ago, FranceAgriMer said in Friday's report.
