France ups soft wheat area estimate

France’s farm ministry on Tuesday raised its estimate of the area sown with winter soft wheat for the 2025 harvest in the European Union’s largest grain grower to 4.61 million hectares from 4.57 million estimated in February.

The total soft wheat area, including a small spring wheat area, is seen at 4.63 million hectares, up 10% from a rain-hit harvest in 2024, and 1.1% above the five-year average, the ministry said in a statement.

“The shift from winter (soft) wheat to spring wheat is less frequent than last year due to milder weather conditions. However, winter sowing was later than usual, leading to delayed development,” the ministry said.

Growing conditions were improving compared to the beginning of the year it added. In contrast, the total durum wheat area was expected to fall 7% from last year and to its lowest level in over 30 years. In an initial forecast, the ministry estimated France’s sugar beet area for this year’s harvest at 391,000 hectares, down from 412,000 hectares in 2024 and 2.9% below the five-year average.

The estimate was provisional, the ministry said, with sowings still ongoing. In oilseeds, the ministry raised its estimate of the area sown with rapeseed, mainly used in biofuel and vegetable oil, to 1.29 million hectares, from 1.27 million in February but still 3% below last year.

Tags: France, soft wheat, estimate, area, winter soft wheat