2024 soft wheat crop after
relentless rainfall
The French agriculture ministry on Friday (9 August) sharply lowered its estimate of the country’s 2024 soft wheat output, now expected 25% below last year’s volume, making it one of the worst harvests of these past 40 years in the European Union’s largest grain grower.
Persistent rain since autumn in France has delayed planting, hurt crop development and increased crop disease, prompting observers to regularly lower their grain harvest estimates.
“As of August 1, 2024, cereal harvests are still underway, delayed by humidity and stormy episodes in July. Yields are revised downwards for all of these crops,” the ministry said in a note.
“Combined with exceptionally low area (4.2 million hectares (Mha), -10.8% compared to 2023) due to the weather conditions of winter 2023, this yield places 2024 among the three smallest soft wheat harvests of the last 40 years.”