PARIS: French grain maize crops resumed their decline last week after a brief pause, with their condition at its lowest level in at least 15 years, a sign of further damage from a prolonged hot and dry summer, data from farm office FranceAgriMer showed on Friday.
In a weekly cereal report, FranceAgriMer estimated that 28percent of the grain maize crop in the European Union’s biggest producer was in good or excellent condition by August 24, down from 29percent a week earlier.
That was the lowest score in the office’s records, which date back to 2011. The latest rating compared to 62percent a year ago. The French maize crop rating had stabilised last week after falling in each of the nine previous weeks.
Maize (corn) is the cereal crop to have suffered most from severe summer weather as it is still in its growing season. The European Commission on Thursday cut its monthly forecast for usable production of maize in the European Union in 2026/27 by 1.8 million metric tons to 50.1 million tons, a new 19-year low.
Meanwhile, commodity analysis firm Argus Media said the poor maize harvest would sharply reduce wheat exports this season because more wheat will be needed to feed livestock domestically.
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