France’s Ministry of Agriculture expects the area planted with winter soft wheat, the country’s main grain crop, to increase to 4.56 million hectares in 2026. This would represent a 2.3% rise compared with 2025, although the figure would still remain slightly below the five-year average, according to Reuters.
In its first outlook for 2026, the ministry also forecasts a significant expansion in winter rapeseed plantings, up 6.4% year on year to 1.34 million hectares, marking a three-year high. The area sown with winter barley is expected to reach 1.23 million hectares, up 3.1% from the previous year, but still 2.2% below the 2021–2025 average.
Regarding the 2025 harvest, the French agriculture ministry has raised its estimate for grain corn production to 13.6 million tonnes from 13.4 million tonnes projected last month. Despite the upward revision, the forecast remains 8.4% below last year’s record corn crop.
