France: Condition of French barley crop declines again

The condition of French wheat and barley crops declined again last week, farm office FranceAgriMer said on May 5, suggesting a lack of rain was still affecting crops in the European Union's biggest cereal producer.

Dry weather in the past month has raised concern about low moisture levels in France after a very dry winter, although rain has returned to much of France this week.

In its weekly crop report, FranceAgriMer estimated that 74 percent of soft wheat crops were in good or excellent condition as of May 1, compared with 78 percent a week earlier and marking a fourth consecutive weekly decline.

Winter barley was rated 68 percent good or excellent, down from 71 percent a week earlier, while spring barley was rated 77 percent good/excellent against 80 percent in the previous week.

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