Euronext wheat edged up on Wednesday after a three-day fall as a weather-fuelled rebound in Chicago futures offset pressure from a firmer euro that was adding to a tough export outlook, traders said.
May milling wheat, the most active position on Euronext, was up 0.7% at 191.50 euros ($226.37) a metric ton at 1603 GMT.
Chicago wheat added over 1% as the U.S. market recovered from a 2% slide on Tuesday.
High winds in the U.S. Plains on Tuesday had raised concern about possible damage to wheat fields.
In Ukraine, meanwhile, a cold snap following a thaw may damage winter wheat and rapeseed, farmers' union UAC said on Wednesday.
In France, traders were monitoring flooding in some western areas. While immediate damage to grain fields was expected to be limited, forecasts of more rain in the week ahead could pose risks for upcoming spring planting, traders said.
A backdrop of ample global supply and stiff export competition nonetheless kept a lid on prices.
The euro rose against the dollar, making European grain more expensive.
Traders said demand from some importing countries may ebb during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan starting on Wednesday.
However, purchase interest was reported in Egypt for up to 25,000 tons of Ukrainian/Black Sea 11.5% protein wheat at around $250 a ton cost and freight included (c&f) for March shipment, and at around $253 a ton c&f for 12.5% protein wheat for February.
In Poland, prices fell in the last week with export competition remaining hard and Polish export shipments slack.
Polish 12.5% protein wheat fell about 10 zloty a ton in the last week to about 800 zloty (189.7 euros) a ton for February/March delivery to ports.
"Farmers are still reluctant sellers due to the cold winter and expected winterkill, although the trade expects only isolated frost damage," one Polish trader said.
One ship is currently loading 27,000 tons of Polish wheat for Morocco, another is loading 35,000 tons for an unknown destination and another 35,000 tons for Nigeria.
Shipping data showed a vessel that left France this month with barley bound for Algeria was approaching instead the Moroccan port of Casablanca.
Traders said the re-routing appeared to confirm that a tacit exclusion of French grain in Algeria due to diplomatic tensions was continuing.
($1 = 0.8460 euros)
(Reuters)