France anticipates its smallest corn harvest since 1980 amid heat and drought
France's corn output is projected to drop 35% to 9 million tonnes this year, the lowest level recorded since 1980, as heatwaves and reduced planting areas take their toll.
France is on track for a corn harvest of about 9 million tonnes this season, representing a 35% cut and the smallest yield since 1980, according to the agriculture ministry on Aug 7. Updated forecasts incorporate the impact of recent heatwaves that struck the crop during critical development phases, pushing expected yields down to 70.3 quintals per hectare, a 19% decline from last year. The cultivated corn area is projected to shrink by 21% as farmers either switch to sunflowers or leave land fallow in response to rising production costs.
Although the war in the Middle East has driven fertilizer prices upward, corn market prices have not risen sharply because global production remains relatively plentiful. Other cereal grains, mainly winter varieties, were less affected by the extreme heat but suffered from excessive winter rainfall. The ministry's total grain harvest estimate was only slightly revised, moving from 46.3 million tonnes in July to 46.1 million tonnes now.
Why it matters
A sharp drop in France's corn crop could affect European grain markets and food prices.
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