Wheat growers in the EU's top agricultural producers are suffering from the after-effects of 2012's poor weather.

In Britain, the bloc's number three producer, waterlogging and continued wet weather are hampering production, whilst weather concerns are also affecting producers in France, the EU's number one. As a result, analysts have downgraded both countries' wheat forecasts.

Strategie Grains analysts recently reduced the outlook for soft wheat output in both France and Britain by 1.4m tonnes, over fears wet soils would hamper growth.

In the February report by government office FranceAgriMer, France's soft wheat condition fell; excessive wet weather led to an 8 percent downgrade in the country's crop rated good to excellent. Overall, 66 percent of the French crop is currently rated 'good to excellent', compared to 74 percent in December.

Although recent drier weather in France has slightly eased concern for crop condition, the legacy of deluges late on in 2012 is still haunting growers on the other side of the Channel. In the UK, harvest and plantings were severely affected by heavy rains and widespread flooding, and fields in a number of regions still stand underwater.

AHDB believes the UK wheat area will be lower than November estimates, as a result of sustained adverse weather.