French maize crop rating edges lower, harvest lags average

An estimated 81% of French grain maize crops were in good or excellent condition by Sept. 18, down from 82% the previous week, farm office FranceAgriMer said on Friday.

That compared with a 43% score a year earlier, the office said in a weekly cereal crop report.

French farmers had gathered 6% of this year’s maize harvest by Sept. 18, up from 1% the previous week but down compared to 24% last year and below a five-year average of 10%.
Source: Reuters (Reporting by Sybille de La Hamaide; Editing by Jan Harvey)