PARIS: Consultancy Strategie Grains sharply cut its demand forecast for European Union wheat in 2021/22 as high prices were seen eroding exports and leading industrial processors to switch to maize.

In a monthly grain report, the consultancy lowered its outlook for EU exports of common wheat, or soft wheat, by 1.6 million tonnes to 30.4 million tonnes. Along with a cut to projected wheat use in livestock feed in favour of maize (corn) within the EU, this led Strategie Grains to increase its forecast for EU soft wheat stocks at the end of the 2021/22 season next June by more than 2 million tonnes to just over 12 million tonnes.

“The situation is on the point of tipping into heaviness, especially in France, and prices now have a decrease potential going forward,” it said of wheat. European wheat prices have climbed to a 14-year high this month on strong international demand, uncertainty over Russian export restrictions and worries about crop conditions in major production zones.

However, Strategie Grains said the wheat market lacked factors to warrant further price gains, unless current wet weather in Australia caused significant damage to the country’s ongoing harvest or Argentina limited exports. French prices faced further pressure from a change to Algeria’s import terms that favours Russian supplies, it added.on tonnes.