France Braces for Worst Corn Crop Since 80
France's corn harvest is on track for a significant decline in 2026, with yields expected to plummet by 35% to approximately nine million tonnes. This marks the smallest corn crop since 1980, according to recent forecasts from the Agriculture Ministry's statistics department.
The government had previously estimated a harvest of 9.5 million tonnes, down 30% from last year, due in part to reduced areas under cultivation. However, heatwaves that struck during critical growth periods have exacerbated the issue, resulting in yields falling by 19% to 70.3 quintals per hectare.
The Agriculture Ministry attributes this decline to a combination of factors, including heatwaves and drought, as well as farmers' decisions to shift towards sunflower production or leave land fallow amid rising costs. The ministry expects cultivated areas to decrease by 21% in 2026, with corn yields not declining this sharply since 2003.
The global market has been relatively stable, with cereal grains experiencing excessive winter rainfall but less severe heat impacts than corn. Despite soaring fertilizer prices due to the Middle East war, corn prices have remained relatively steady.