Maize crop conditions in France, the European Union’s biggest grain producer, registered a third consecutive weekly decline in the week to August 18, data from farm office FranceAgriMer showed on Friday, as a heatwave gripped most of the country.
The office estimated that 62 per cent of the maize crop was in good or excellent condition by Monday, down from 65 per cent a week earlier.
The latest score was also below the 76 per cent at the same time last year and the lowest for the week since 2022, another year marked by a very hot, dry summer.
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After maize field conditions stabilized in late July after the return of rain, crops have endured more hot and dry weather this month, with temperatures rising to about 40 degrees Celsius across the south for several days last week.
Showers this week have brought cooler temperatures, though analysts said the change in weather may be too late to benefit maize crops before the harvest.
France’s agriculture ministry forecast in early August that this year’s production will fall by more than five per cent from last year, with heat and drought expected to cut yields and outweigh increased planting.
The recent hot spell helped farmers to wrap up wheat and barley harvesting after the rain in late July slowed field work.
Farmers had finished harvesting the soft wheat crop by August 18, having completed 99 per cent of the harvest a week earlier, FranceAgriMer said.
— Reporting by Alessandro Parodi, Olivier Cherfan and Gus Trompiz.
