FRENCH WHEAT EXPORTS TO EC FALL

  French soft wheat exports to other
  European Community countries fell 18 pct to 4.13 mln tonnes in
  the first seven months of the 1986/87 season to January
  compared with 5.04 mln in the same 1985/86 period, the French
  Cereals Intervention Office (ONIC) said.
      According to latest ONIC statistics, the main buyers were
  Italy with 1.89 mln against 1.63 mln in the same 1985/86
  period, West Germany 480,450 tonnes against 717,689, the
  Netherlands 462,048 (532,299) and Belgium 417,887 tonnes
  (919,337).
      British and Greek imports of French soft wheat during this
  period were below year-ago levels. Between July 1 last year and
  January 31, Britain bought 274,665 tonnes against 642,800
  tonnes, ONIC figures showed.
      But Spanish purchases were up sharply at 258,507 tonnes
  against 2,751 tonnes in the same 1985/86 period and Portugal
  bought 37,599 tonnes compared with zero.
      ONIC said the drop in French exports to other Community
  countries was due to British competition.
  

