* Wheat up 7% so far this week, trades near 10-month high
* Crop worries in Black, Europe drive wheat prices higher
* Black Sea downgrades drive cut in IGC wheat crop outlook
By Naveen Thukral and Sybille de La Hamaide
SINGAPORE/PARIS, May 24 (Reuters) - Chicago wheat
futures were virtually flat on Friday, taking a breather at the
end of what could be its biggest weekly climb in a month as
concerns over crop losses in the Black Sea region and other
exporting countries supported prices.
Corn futures and soybeans also strengthened.
Dry weather in the Black Sea region is curbing yield
potential for the world's cheapest wheat suppliers, according to
a report by Rabobank. "Meanwhile, production issues are also
prominent for corn in Argentina, Ukraine, and the U.S."
The most-active wheat contract on the Chicago Board of Trade
(CBOT) was down 0.1% at $6.97 a bushel, as of 0945 GMT,
taking the weekly gain in prices to 7%.
Corn added 0.2% to $4.64-3/4 a bushel and soybeans
were nearly unchanged at $12.38-3/4 a bushel. For the
week, corn has risen 2.8% while soybeans were up more nearly 1%.
Lower forecasts for Russia's wheat production have
fueled a rally in the wheat market, which jumped to its highest
levels in 10 months this week. There are worries over adverse
weather in other major producers such as Ukraine, Australia,
France and Germany.
The International Grains Council cut its forecast for
2024/25 global wheat production on Thursday, with the outlook
for key Black Sea producers - Russia and Ukraine - downgraded.
In France the condition of soft wheat declined slightly
last week to remain at a four-year low while maize planting
slowed, data from farm office FranceAgriMer showed on Friday, as
rain returned to crop belts.
Germany's wheat crop will shrink by 5.6% this year to 20.31
million metric tons, the country's association of farm
cooperatives said in its latest harvest estimate on Thursday,
continuing forecasts of reduced crops.
"With no significant improvement in the weather outlook
and therefore continued uncertainty surrounding the supply
outlook, wheat prices are likely to remain well supported for
the time being," Commerzbank said in a note.
Corn futures were supported by doubts over South American
production.
Soybean farmers in Brazil's southernmost state, where rain
and flooding have disrupted field work for weeks, have now
harvested 91% of their soy area, up from 85% last week, crop
agency Emater said on Thursday.
Commodity funds were net buyers of CBOT corn futures on
Thursday and net sellers of soybean, soyoil, wheat and soymeal
futures, traders said.
Prices at
1245 GMT
Last Change
Pct
Move
CBOT wheat
697.00 -1.00
-0.14
CBOT corn
464.75 0.75
0.16
CBOT soy
1238.75 -0.50
-0.04
Paris wheat
259.50 1.25
0.48
Paris maize
211.75 0.00
0.00
Paris
rapeseed 492.75 -2.25
-0.45
WTI crude
oil 76.29 -0.58
-0.75
Euro/dlr
1.08 0.00
0.13
Most active contracts - Wheat, corn and
soy US cents/bushel, Paris futures in euros per tonne
(Reporting by Naveen Thukral; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala,
Sherry Jacob-Phillips and Susan Fenton)