French Soft Wheat Harvest Shows Strong Quality, Exceeding 5-Year Averages

The 2026 soft wheat harvest in France is showing higher-than-average protein content and strong overall quality, according to data released Wednesday by the French farm office FranceAgriMer. The findings suggest a high-quality crop from one of the world's key wheat exporters.

Key Quality Indicators

The latest analysis, conducted in partnership with crop research institute Arvalis, is based on 72% of planned samples. The results for key milling wheat standards are well above their five-year averages:

• Protein Content: 89% of samples tested had a protein level of 11% or higher, compared to a five-year average of 80%. For the 11.5% protein threshold used by many buyers, 61% of the wheat met the standard, significantly above the 51% five-year average.
• Specific Weight: A measure of potential flour yield, 96% of the new crop met or exceeded the market standard of 76 kilograms per hectoliter. This figure is substantially higher than the five-year average of 61%.
• Hagberg Falling Number: This test assesses milling quality, with 100% of samples meeting the industry requirement of 250 seconds or more. This compares favorably to the five-year average of 85%.

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Market Context

These quality indicators are closely watched by commodity traders and food manufacturers. High protein content and strong Hagberg numbers are crucial for producing high-quality flour for bread-making, and crops meeting these standards can often command a premium on the international market.

While the protein reading of 89% at the 11% threshold was slightly down from 90% in the previous week's report, the overall quality profile remains robust. FranceAgriMer stated it will continue to release updated quality data in the coming weeks as the analysis progresses.