French farmers had sown 82% of the expected soft wheat area for next year's harvest by Nov. 27, compared with 74% a week earlier, farm office FranceAgriMer said on Friday.

Heavy rainfall in France over the past weeks has brought grain sowing virtually to a standstill in some parts of the European Union's largest grain grower, which is likely to lead to a drop in yields, technical institute Arvalis has said.

Winter barley sowings were 92%, compared with 86% the previous week, FranceAgriMer said (Reporting by Clement Martinot, editing by Sybille de La