French corn crop conditions plummet to their worst level in 13 years.

French corn crop conditions deteriorated sharply last week, reflecting the impacts of the intense heat wave hitting the country at a crucial time for crop development, according to the agricultural agency FranceAgriMer. The survey indicated that 58% of corn areas were classified as being in good or excellent condition as of June 29th, a drop of 18 percentage points from the 76% recorded the previous week. This is the worst figure for this period since 2013. The decline reinforces the concerns of French producers, who are already projecting a reduction of about 30% in corn production this year, which could lead to the lowest harvest level of the century. In addition to the effects of drought and high temperatures, the drop also reflects the reduction in planted area. The forecast of hot and dry weather in the next two weeks is likely to worsen the situation, precisely when some crops are entering the pollination phase. According to FranceAgriMer, 16% of the grain corn crop had already reached this stage by last Monday. Conditions for the main winter crops also worsened. In the case of soft wheat, the main cereal produced in France, 68% of the crops were classified as good or excellent, down from 74% the previous week, although still above the 67% recorded in the same period of 2025. Despite the decline in quality, the wheat harvest progressed rapidly, reaching 26% of the cultivated area, well above the average of 5% observed for this time of year over the last five years. The barley harvest is nearing completion. As of last Monday, 83% of the area had been harvested, more than double the historical average of 39% for this period.

This text was translated by machine from Brazilian Portuguese.