Climate and impact on wheat
French soft wheat acreage for the 2022 harvest (4.76 Mha) has decreased (according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty) by 5% compared to last year's acreage and by 1.5% compared to the 5-year average. This decrease was in favor of oilseed crops (rapeseed, sunflower) and sugar beets in particular.
Despite this reduction in acreage, the production potential up to spring was very promising. From sowing in the fall to the end of winter, all the indicators were green thanks to regular rainfall and a mild winter.
However, unlike last year, the spring drought and the high temperatures since mid-June have degraded the yield potential. For example, in the Grand Est region, over a period of three months (March 1 - June 1), there was 100 mm of precipitation this year compared to an average of 215 mm over 10 years.
With these late cycle conditions, the soft wheat harvest was extremely early. The French wheat harvest ended at the end of July when it usually extends to mid/late August.
In the main wheat exporters (Russia, Canada, USA, Australia...), production is expected to be good, above last year's level.
The French harvest, like that of the EU-27, is below the 5-year average in terms of quantity. However, it is satisfactory from a quality point of view. The capacity of the soils to retain water and return it to the plants was crucial. We thus find a great heterogeneity of yields according to the terroirs, implying a wide spectrum of proteins (north of the Loire, yields are correct or even good, which translates into lower proteins. On the other hand, south of the Loire, yields are disappointing with a high protein rate). The specific weights are satisfactory.
As every year, all our teams are mobilized in our mills to select and assemble the wheat batches in order to constitute models ensuring you consistency and regularity.
Production and yield estimates (soft wheat)
- French production : 33-33.5 MT vs 35.4 MT last year vs 34.9 MT in average over 5 years.
- French yield : 6.95-7.0 T/ha vs 7.15 T/ha last year vs 7.2 T/ha on average over 5 years.
- EU-27 yield: +/-5.7 T/ha vs. 5.95 T/ha last year vs. 5.8 T/ha on average over 5 years.
- Protein rate: average > 11%
- Specific weight: > 78 kg/hl
- Hagberg: largely > 220s
Kneading:
- ↑ Moisturizing: Moisturizing at the target
- ↑ Smoothing: Smoothing significantly improved
Primer:
- → Fermenting activity
- ↑ Ovenability.
Shaping:
- → Elasticity
- → Extensibility
- → Sticky
Finished product:
- → Volumes a bit low, nice finished products
- ↑ Crust and crumb staining
Our advice:
Wands: Moisture in the target. The doughs have a different profile than last year: better smoothness.
The autolysis and increased kneading time recommended last year are no longer necessary this year. The finished products are beautiful, with nice crumb colors and well developed nubs.
Milling mixes: The formulas of our milling mixes are constantly adapted to the constraints of the harvest in order to guarantee you a regular and quality work. No adjustment on your part is required.
Improvers : SECUR'DETENTE gives better results this year but the two improvers : SECUR'DETENTE and SECUR'TOLERANCE can be used and will allow to obtain beautiful products.
Kneading:
- ↓ Hydration: slight decrease
- ↑ Smoothing significantly improved
Priming:
- → Fermentative activity
- → Ovenability: less tolerance for long priming times
Shaping:
- → Elasticity
- ↑ Extensibility
- → Sticky
Finished product:
- ↑ Nice finished products, very decent volumes
- → Nice color of the cream crumb.
Our advice:
Chopsticks : Our millers rework each year the wheat models to offer you an optimal and regular quality. Moisture content slightly lower than the previous harvest. The doughs have a different profile than last year: better smoothness and more extensibility. The autolysis and increased kneading time recommended last year are no longer necessary this year. The finished products are beautiful, with nice crumb colors and well developed nubs.
Milling mixes: The formulas of our milling mixes are constantly adapted to the constraints of the harvest in order to guarantee you a regular and quality work. No adjustment on your part is required.
Improvers : SECUR'DETENTE gives better results this year but the two improvers : SECUR'DETENTE and SECUR'TOLERANCE can be used and will allow to obtain beautiful products.
Kneading:
- ↑ Hydration: return to normal hydration
- ↑ Smoothing significantly improved
Priming:
- → Fermentative activity
- → Ovenability: less tolerance for long priming times
Shaping:
- → Elasticity
- ↑ Extensibility
- → Sticky
Finished product:
- → Beautiful finished products, very correct volumes
- ↑ Nice color of the cream crumb.
Our advice:
Chopsticks : Our millers rework each year the wheat models to offer you an optimal and regular quality. The doughs have an improved profile compared to last year: return to a normal hydration, better smoothness, and more extensibility. The autolysis and increased kneading time recommended last year are no longer necessary this year. The finished products are beautiful, with nice crumb colors and well developed nubs.
Milling mixes: The formulas of our milling mixes are constantly adapted to the constraints of the harvest in order to guarantee you a regular and quality work. No adjustment on your part is required.
Improvers : SECUR'DETENTE gives better results this year but the two improvers : SECUR'DETENTE and SECUR'TOLERANCE can be used and will allow to obtain beautiful products.
Kneading:
- ↑ Hydration
- → Smoothing
Primer:
- → Fermentative activity
- → Ovenability
Shaping:
- → Elasticity
- ↓ Extensibility
- → Sticky
Finished product:
- ↑ Nice finished products, nice nibs and very correct volumes
- ↑ Nice cream crumb color
Our advice:
Chopsticks : Our millers rework each year the wheat models to offer you an optimal and regular quality. Back to a normal hydration. The finished products are beautiful, with nice crumb colors and well developed nibs.
Milling mixtures : The formulas of our milling mixtures are constantly adapted to the constraints of the harvest in order to guarantee you a regular and quality work. No adjustment on your part is required.
Improvers : SECUR'TOLERANCE gives better results this year but the two improvers : SECUR'DETENTE and SECUR'TOLERANCE can be used and will allow to obtain beautiful products.
Kneading:
- → Hydration
- ↑ Smoothing significantly improved
Primer:
- → Fermentative activity
- → Ovenability
Shaping:
- ↑ Elasticity
- → Extensibility
- → Firmness
- → Sticky
Finished product:
- → Correct volume, nice finished products
- ↑ Nice creamy crumb color
Our advice:
Chopsticks: The doughs have a different profile than last year: better smoothness, and a little more elasticity. The autolysis and increased kneading time recommended last year are no longer necessary this year. The finished products are beautiful, with nice crumb colors and well developed nubs.
Milling mixes: The formulas of our milling mixes are constantly adapted to the constraints of the harvest in order to guarantee you a regular and quality work. No adjustment on your part is required.
Improvers : SECUR'DETENTE gives better results this year but the two improvers : SECUR'DETENTE and SECUR'TOLERANCE can be used and will allow to obtain beautiful products.
