The French Ministry of Agriculture published its first official crop estimate for winter barley, 6.4 million tons instead of the 6.8-6.9 million tons, which were estimated earlier. Damages caused by frost in winter and by dry conditions and heat in spring and early summer, were worse than expected. Quality of Esterel malting barley is variable, but altogether disappointing, 70-75 % full barley above 2.5 mm, 10.5 to 13 % protein. Deliveries to the malting industry are expected well below 1 million tons vs. 1.8 million tons a year ago. There are no results yet of spring barley, but the recent heat wave may have had a bad effect as well.

11 July, 2003