French cereal crops still in good shape as spring arrives

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PARIS, March 24 (Reuters) – Nearly all French cereal crops remained in good condition in the week to March 20, data from farm office FranceAgriMer showed on Friday, suggesting rain was helping crops entering the key spring growth period.

An estimated 94% of French soft wheat crops were in good or excellent condition, down slightly from 95% the previous week but above a 92% score a year earlier, FranceAgriMer said in a cereal crop report.

For winter barley, 93% of the crop was rated good or excellent, up from 92% the prior week, while durum wheat scored 92% unchanged from the previous week.

For spring barley, sowing of which was completed earlier this month, 99% of crops were rated good or excellent.

Showers in March have improved soil moisture, the European Union’s biggest grain producer, after an unprecedented dry spell in France during winter.

(Reporting by Gus Trompiz; editing by Jason Neely)

((gus.trompiz@thomsonreuters.com; +33 1 49 49 52 18; Reuters Messaging: gus.trompiz.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))

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