France’s wheat crop is deteriorating as record heat in the European Union’s largest producing country exacerbates problems with global grain supplies.
According to the latest data from FranceAgmer, the country’s soft wheat crop ratio fell to 73% on May 16, down from last year’s rating. A dry, warm stream across France is removing soil moisture during critical periods for crop development, with weekend temperatures expected to rise above 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) in many cities, Meteo France said in a note.
The summer spell means the nation could possibly record its warmest May beyond 2011, the predictor said. It threatens to stifle wheat yields in the country and adds to the weather problems for other producers, such as the United States and Canada, at a time when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is already stifling global grain supplies.
The International Crop Council on Thursday cut its global wheat production forecast to 69 million tonnes, the lowest in three years. In terms of weather, France is Europe’s biggest problem for winter crops, such as wheat, Maxell’s weather forecaster Kyle Tapley told the Greencom conference in Geneva.