Market update week 16
Crop Conditions in France
In its April 7 update, Cereobs reported the following crop ratings in France:
• Soft wheat: 75% of crops are in “good to excellent” condition, a slight decline from 76% the previous week.
• Winter barley: Rated “good to excellent” on 72% of the area, an improvement from 71%.
• Spring barley: 84% is in top condition, down from 86%.
• Durum wheat: 79% of the crop is rated “good to excellent,” a 1-point drop from last week’s 80%.
Crop Conditions in France
In its April 7 update, Cereobs reported the following crop ratings in France:
• Soft wheat: 75% of crops are in “good to excellent” condition, a slight decline from 76% the previous week.
• Winter barley: Rated “good to excellent” on 72% of the area, an improvement from 71%.
• Spring barley: 84% is in top condition, down from 86%.
• Durum wheat: 79% of the crop is rated “good to excellent,” a 1-point drop from last week’s 80%.
2025 Harvest Area Projections – France (Ministry of Agriculture)
The French Ministry of Agriculture released new figures for the estimated 2025 harvest area:
• Soft wheat: Projected at 4.633 million hectares, 1.1% above the five-year average.
• Winter barley: Estimated at 1.224 million hectares, 2.6% below the five-year average.
• Spring barley: Expected to cover 520,000 hectares, a decrease of 10.7% from the average.
• Durum wheat: Forecast at 223,000 hectares, down 12.7% from the five-year norm.
2025 Harvest Area Projections – France (Ministry of Agriculture)
The French Ministry of Agriculture released new figures for the estimated 2025 harvest area:
• Soft wheat: Projected at 4.633 million hectares, 1.1% above the five-year average.
• Winter barley: Estimated at 1.224 million hectares, 2.6% below the five-year average.
• Spring barley: Expected to cover 520,000 hectares, a decrease of 10.7% from the average.
• Durum wheat: Forecast at 223,000 hectares, down 12.7% from the five-year norm.
U.S. Crop Exports and Planting Progress
As of April 10, U.S. corn exports totaled 1.8 million metric tons (mmt), surpassing market forecasts of 1.0–1.6 mmt. Wheat exports also came in above expectations, reaching 0.6 mmt compared to the anticipated 0.2–0.5 mmt range. By April 13, U.S. farmers had planted 4% of the intended corn area, falling short of the 6% expected by analysts and also lagging last year’s pace of 6%, according to USDA figures. Winter wheat conditions in the U.S. were rated “good to excellent” across 47% of the crop area, in line with market projections but below last year’s rating of 55%.
U.S. Crop Exports and Planting Progress
As of April 10, U.S. corn exports totaled 1.8 million metric tons (mmt), surpassing market forecasts of 1.0–1.6 mmt. Wheat exports also came in above expectations, reaching 0.6 mmt compared to the anticipated 0.2–0.5 mmt range. By April 13, U.S. farmers had planted 4% of the intended corn area, falling short of the 6% expected by analysts and also lagging last year’s pace of 6%, according to USDA figures. Winter wheat conditions in the U.S. were rated “good to excellent” across 47% of the crop area, in line with market projections but below last year’s rating of 55%.