Heat and drought cut Europe’s grain harvest by 16 mln tons

Record heat and drought across Europe this summer reduced grain production by around 16 mln tons. Total losses for European agriculture are estimated at $3.6 billion.

France was hit hardest, with crop output down by 5.8 mln tons and losses estimated at €1.47 billion. Hungary, the UK, Germany and Spain also suffered significant damage.

Extreme heat affected wheat grain filling, corn pollination and planted areas for some crops. In France, some farms reported winter crop yield losses of 25%, while sunflower yields fell to 0.7 t/ha compared with the usual 1.5–2 t/ha.

The losses were not limited to grains. According to JRC estimates, EU soybean yields are down 15% this year, while potato yields fell 7% and sugar beet yields 11%.

Farmers are also facing high diesel and fertilizer prices. The combination of lower yields and higher production costs is increasing pressure on the profitability of Europe’s agricultural sector.

Tags: grain, EU, drought, weather conditions