PARIS- * France exported 9.7 million tonnes (mln t) of soft wheat outside the European Union in the 2018/19 season that ended on June 30, customs data compiled by Refinitiv showed.

* The volume was up almost 20% from 8.1 mln t in 2017/18, the data showed. It was in line with the most recent estimate of 2018/19 non-EU wheat exports by farming agency FranceAgriMer. 

* France, the EU's largest wheat grower and exporter, shipped 7.4 mln t of soft wheat within the EU in 2018/19, down nearly 20% from 9.2 mln t in 2017/18, the customs data showed.

* That meant total French soft wheat exports were little changed at 17.0 mln t against 17.2 mln t in 2017/18.

* Algeria remained by far the largest destination for French wheat soft, with 5.1 mln t shipped in 2018/19 compared with 4.3 mln t in 2017/18.

(Reporting by Gus Trompiz and Valerie Parent; Editing by Kirsten Donovan) ((gus.trompiz@thomsonreuters.com; +33 1 49 49 52 18; Reuters Messaging: gus.trompiz.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))