PARIS: European wheat ended the week higher, supported by tight global supplies, strong export demand and rainfall delaying planting in France, the EU’s largest grower of the cereal.

Benchmark December milling wheat on Paris-based Euronext, closed 0.5% higher at 233.50 euros ($250.59) a metric ton on Friday.

French farmers had sown 62% of this year’s expected soft wheat area by Oct. 30, compared with 54% reported a week earlier, and behind the five-year average of 72%, farm office FranceAgriMer said on Friday.

“It has been raining constantly lately - not always very much but at least a bit every day which has slowed down sowings.