France imports wheat because of poor crop

Paris - France imported Lithuanian and British milling wheat this week to mix with its poor quality, rain-soaked crop in order to reach quality required under contracts signed before the harvest, trade and industry sources said on Thursday.

These unusual imports are a new sign that the European Union's largest wheat producing and exporting country will struggle to meet international demand this season with a large share of its crop failing to live up to its traditional clients' criteria.

A cargo carrying 27 500 tonnes of Lithuanian milling wheat, with a high protein level, is currently offloading in the port of Rouen, trade and port sources said.

As for British milling wheat, a shipment of 3 000 tonnes reached Dunkirk earlier this week. A second, for 4 400 tonnes, was in Rouen on Thursday, and others should follow, the sources said.