FRENCH WINTER CEREAL SOWING SEEN LITTLE CHANGED
The Ministry of Agriculture left its
estimates of French winter cereal sowings for the 1986/87
campaign barely changed at 6.606 mln hectares compared with its
previous forecast of 6.601 mln.
    This compared with the 6.41 mln ha of winter cereals
harvested in the 1985/86 campaign.
    Winter soft wheat sowings were put at 4.647 mln ha compared
with its previous estimate of 4.651 mln and 4.57 mln ha
harvested last campaign. Winter barley plantings were forecast
at 1.46 mln ha, unchanged from its previous estimate and
compared with 1.41 mln harvested last season.
    The ministry put hard winter wheat sowings at 246,000 ha
versus a February 1 estimate of 236,000 and actual area
harvested last campaign of 217,000.
    Winter rape plantings were forecast at 627,000 ha against a
previous estimate of 621,000 and 375,000 rpt 375,000 harvested
in 1985/86.
 Reuter
