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French wheat crop showing mixed protein levels in north

This year’s French soft wheat crop is showing mixed protein content in key northern production regions, although readings are generally satisfactory, farm office FranceAgriMer said on Wednesday.

Protein content, an important quality criteria for flour milling, was averaging around 11% in the northern half of France, while readings in the south were high to very high, FranceAgriMer said in a harvest report published with crop institutes Arvalis and Terres Inovia.

Quality results in France, the European Union’s biggest wheat exporter, are being closely watched in the market as importers seeks alternatives to Ukrainian and Russian supplies that have been disrupted by war.

The French soft wheat harvest, which finished earlier than usual in hot and dry weather, was also showing mixed readings for test weights and Hagberg falling numbers, FranceAgriMer said.

For test weights, readings were generally in line with market requirements, with high levels in the north. Hagberg falling numbers, another common quality criteria, were also mostly meeting milling requirements despite the impact of storms on some crops, the office said.

Moisture levels in soft wheat were lower than usual across France, the office added.

FranceAgriMer is due to give more detailed quality results in the coming weeks.

France’s farm ministry last week raised sharply its production forecast for the soft wheat crop as it revised up yields, although a lower planted area kept the volume below last year’s level.

For durum wheat, used in pasta, quality indications were also varied, with protein often reaching 14% except in the southeast and test weights very mixed, FranceAgriMer said.

For barley, malting quality was also contrasting. Winter barley was showing mixed results, while spring barley readings were generally good although with some high protein levels.

In rapeseed, oil content was estimated at around 44.5%, above the 43.2% average of the past five years, FranceAgriMer said.
Source: Reuters (Reporting by Gus Trompiz Editing by Jason Neely and Mark Potter)

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