France harvests fewer kilos of most crops

France has seen a decrease in the production of cereals and potatoes due to poor weather conditions, with the exception of soybeans which have seen above-average yields. However, despite lower yields, the total production of grain maize has increased by 12% due to an expansion in cultivation. The total beet root production has also increased by 8.4% due to an expansion in the area cultivated. Mid-early and storage potatoes are predicted to see a 13% increase in production, reaching a record amount of 7.6 million tonnes.

The statistics office of the French Ministry of Agriculture reports a decline in production across the board for cereals. This is mainly due to yields being significantly lower due to the wet and dark weather during the growing season. For example, yields of soft wheat are 17 percent lower than in 2023. We are also seeing disappointing yields for other crops. Grain corn and protein crops yield more than 10 percent less per hectare than a year ago. Yields for oilseeds are 5 percent lower. There is one exception to the oilseed group: soy. French farmers are achieving above-average yields from soybeans. Agreste estimates that 2.6 tons per hectare come from the land, which is 5.3 percent more than last year and almost 7 percent more than the five-year average. According to Agreste, potatoes are also yielding fewer kilos than last year. For mid-early and storage potatoes, the statistics office estimates the average yield at 42.6 tons per hectare. That is 1 tonne, or 2.5 percent, less ...