Farm office FranceAgriMer on Wednesday cut its forecast for French soft wheat exports outside the European Union in 2025/26, to 7.50 million metric tons from 7.60 million expected last month, but still more than double the volume shipped in 2024/25.
In a supply and demand outlook, the office increased its forecast of French soft wheat shipments within the EU in 2025/26 to 7.51 million tons from 7.39 million previously and 6.8 million tons last season.
The office mainly raised projected sales to Germany, Ireland, Spain and the Netherlands, FranceAgriMer grain analyst Habasse Diagouraga told reporters.
He did not have details for changes in forecast exports outside the EU but said sales to Morocco were still supporting French wheat exports.
"However, we expect these to slow down there since we already saw first shipments of Argentine wheat," Diagouraga said.
Argentina is forecast to harvest a record wheat crop that has created extra competition for the Moroccan market.
FranceAgriMer raised its outlook for soft wheat stocks at the end of 2025/26 to 2.80 million tons from 2.74 million. This is 12.7% above last season's volume.
For barley, FranceAgriMer pegged 2025/26 ending stocks at 1.55 million tons versus 1.46 million projected last month, 34.3% above last season.
After large shipments to China in the summer, France continues to export big volumes of barley to Saudi Arabia, Diagouraga said.
The 2025/26 maize ending stocks are expected at 2.16 million tons, up from 1.86 million forecast last month but 1.4% below last season.
(Reuters)