France raises wheat and maize crop estimates, cuts sugar beet

France’s farm ministry on Tuesday raised its estimate of the country’s 2024 soft wheat output to 25.56 million metric tons from 25.43 million last month, still one of the smallest soft wheat harvests since the 1980s. Repeated heavy rain in France, the European Union’s largest grain producer, reduced planting and hampered development of wheat crops. For maize, harvesting of which is still under way, the ministry also raised its projection of 2024 output, including crop grown for seeds, to 14.62 million tons from 14.47 million last month. In contrast it cut its ...