Extreme heat in France has caused a loss of around 30% of the corn crop

A heat wave that hit Western Europe last week could have damaged nearly a third of France’s corn crop, further denting harvest prospects, Bloomberg reported.

According to preliminary estimates from the French Ministry of Agriculture, the extreme heat has caused a loss of about 30% of the corn crop. About 50% of carrot production, 60% of hops, large areas of orchards and hundreds of thousands of poultry have also been affected.

This is the first official estimate of the scale of the damage to farmers. Corn production in France was expected to decline even before the heat wave, as farmers reduced the area sown due to higher fertilizer and fuel prices after the war with Iran. According to estimates by the analytical company Expana, less than a third of the area under corn in France is irrigated, and the harvest could fall to its lowest level since 1990.

“Spring-sown corn is certainly going through a tough time. The weather forecast for the next 10 days does not predict rain and indicates a return to heatwave temperatures. So corn is the crop to watch right now,” said Arthur Portier, senior consultant at Argus Media.

Corn futures on the Paris stock exchange have risen more than 10% since mid-June on expectations of supply cuts. On Thursday, prices were little changed.

Spring-sown corn is currently in the flowering stage, making it particularly vulnerable to high temperatures. At the same time, the impact of the heat on winter grains, particularly wheat, is “much less severe,” although prolonged periods of hot and dry weather can still have a negative impact on yields, said Expana analyst Vincent Braak.

France has been the epicenter of a heat wave that has gripped Western Europe in June. The high temperatures have also affected vineyards: according to the ministry, the grape harvest will begin almost three weeks earlier than usual due to accelerated ripening of the berries.

In addition, some vineyards are under threat from forest fires. Since Wednesday alone, fires have engulfed about 1,200 hectares in southern France.

In the western regions of Brittany, Pays de la Loire and Normandy, farmers have lost almost 6,500 tons of poultry, the French Ministry of Agriculture said.

Tags: corn, France