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Paris wheat drops on fading concern about Ukrainian port attack

European wheat hit fourmonth short on Thursday, giving up earlier strength generated by a Russian attack on a Ukrainian grain port, as attention went back to slack export demand and inexpensive competition from Black Sea suppliers, traders said.

December wheat on the Paris-based Euronext fell 3%. to 216.25 euros ($ 17.86) a metric ton at 1518 GMT, its lowest. because late March.

This continued Wednesday's break below the 220 euro chart. assistance level, partially since competition in export markets from. inexpensive Russian and other Black Sea wheat.

September fell 1.8% to 202.50 euros. The September. contract was marked by changes before Thursday's expiry of. alternatives versus the contract.

Wheat at first rose on Thursday after Russian rockets hit. port facilities in Ukraine's Odesa harbour on Wednesday. night, raising fears of interruption to high volumes of. Ukrainian shipborne grain exports.

Signs are lacking that the Odesa attack was part of a more. aggressive relocation versus Ukrainian ports by Russia, a German. trader stated. Port grain export terminals and grain ships are so. huge that the Russians might easily strike them if they wanted to.

Many rockets are being shot around and some might strike. port installations inadvertently.

A French public vacation kept some major participants away.

The weakness in the wheat market has been surprising,. particularly in Euronext, said Rabobank analyst Carlos Mera.

The lower than anticipating buying from Egypt previously this. week and the typically bleak state of mind in corn and soy seems to. continue to weigh on wheat rates internationally, defying the unfavorable. production outlook in European crops.

This year's French soft wheat crop is set to be the tiniest. given that the 1980s, also showing blended quality.

The International Grains Council estimated France's wheat. output at 27.5 million loads on Thursday, below last season's. 36.3 million.

(source: Reuters)