PARIS, FRANCE — While France’s spring crop area is expected to decline from 2020, soft wheat sowings are expected to rebound, Reuters reported, citing the farm ministry.

The soft wheat area is estimated at 4.9 million hectares, an increase of 15% from 2020 and in line with the five-year average.

Spring barley is expected to fall 34% to 1.73 million hectares from the high levels seen last year.

For rapeseed, the ministry estimates the 2021 area at 990,000 hectares, down 11% from 2020. This is the first time the area has fallen below one million hectares in at least six years.