The more intense and frequent rainfall than normal has destroyed a large part of the crops and caused significant losses for farmers. In France, a soft wheat harvest of nearly 30 tonnes is expected, 15% less than in 2023.
ADVERTISEMENTHeavy and frequent rains have had a significant impact on harvests in France, with soft wheat production falling sharply.
At Guillaume Lefort’s, in Larchant (Seine-et-Marne), the growth of soft wheat is uneven on his 70-hectare plot. Some ears are still green and the harvest will start later than usual. He expects a loss of 20% compared to a normal year.
This year, the harvest is estimated at around 29.7 million tonnes, or a 15% decrease compared to 2023.
On a farm in Indre, the wheat is lying down because of recurring storms and strong winds.
“We went down to 5.3 tonnes [par hectare]whereas in an average or normal year, we should reach 7 tonnes,” explains Nicolas Pailloux, a cereal grower. He expects to lose around 15,000 euros.
With global warming, he is trying to adapt, but “the unpredictability makes things complicated,” he says. Across all of French cereal production, the loss is estimated at -13%.
The decline of the production of all straw cereals (soft wheat, durum wheat, barley, triticale, rye and oats) is estimated at -13%which is important for France which is the leading producer and exporter of cereals in Europe.
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