WEST EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

France:

The pulling operations started last week, around July 5-6, in Calvados.

They are likely to take place this week, probably from Thursday on, in the other flax cultivating areas and could be continued next week as the weather forecast is good.

Many flax straws straightened up again but those that laid down before the flowering are still laying on the ground. Those straws may rot and could be more difficult to be pulled out but generally speaking the fields are dried up enough to allow the machines to proceed easily.

Pulling out of laid down flax in Abbebille area (Nord) on July 7 2016

Pulled out flax field in Calvados July 7 2016

Belgium-the Netherlands

The pulling operations should start this week.

EAST EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

Belarus

The pulling operations are on the way in the west and south-west regions. They have just started in north, central and east regions.

The straw yield per hectare is expected to be low in the west and south-west regions (they represent 30% of the flax cultivating area in Belarus) because of the drought that lasted two months. The straws are short, 50 to 70 cm high.

The yield should be better in the North, east, and central regions of the country. The straws are higher (60 to 90 cm).

Egypt

Many farmers pulled out flax before it was correctly ripen. As a consequence the quality of fibres after the retting is not as good as usual. The fibres are green-coloured.

The production was reduced during the Ramadan time and now the mills will start to produce at full capacity.