Winter planting intensifies in France as the end of the corn harvest approaches

ParisOctober 14 – French farmers are about to finish harvesting this year’s drought-affected corn crop and are making rapid progress growing winter wheat and barley, according to data from FranceAgriMer.

FranceAgriMer said in a grain report that farmers harvested 83% of this year’s corn grain harvest as of October 10, down from 67% the previous week and only 14% from the same week last year.

The harvest was 28 days ahead of last year’s average and 18 days ahead of the average in the past five years.

Harvest was introduced in late August, after an exceptionally hot and dry summer for plant growth.

The severe weather has also affected crops, and the French maize crop is expected to be the smallest in three decades.

Sowing of soft wheat for next year’s crop has accelerated, with 21% of the area expected to be planted as of Monday, up from 3% the previous week and 11% a year ago, according to FranceAgriMer.

As for winter barley, 37% of the planned area was sown, compared to 8% the week before and 22% a year ago.

Mild dry weather favors fieldwork since late September, although the return of rain this week may slow progress.