France: Winter barley production expected to increase by 4.6% this year

France’s farm ministry said on June 11 the nation’s winter barley production this year is expected at 8.5 million tonnes. That was up 4.6% from 2018, an increase mainly due to area expansion, the ministry said.

That included an expected yield of 6.41 t/ha, up from 6.36 t/ha last year, and a harvested area pegged at 1.33 million hectares, up from 1.28 million.

However, the forecast winter barley production would be 3.5% below the average of the past five years.

Spring barley is among crops to have gained area after farmers replaced damaged rapeseed fields, with the ministry estimating the spring barley area will jump nearly 22% compared with last year to 589,000 hectares.