Average year for French prunes

For the 2005/2006 marketing year, French prune production is estimated to be average compared with previous years, at 45,600 MT. French exports are expected to be strong again in MY 2005/06, but not as high as last year because, first, the California harvest was higher in 2005 than 2004, but remained lower than average, and second, French supply in MY 2005/06 is lower than in MY 2004/05, as a result of lower beginning stocks.