French Farmers Facing ‘Catastrophic’ Harvest Seek State Help

French farmers are calling on the government to provide financial aid as there’s a high risk that this year’s wheat harvest will be the lowest in at least a decade because of heavy rains.

Three weeks into the season, field surveys show a drop of at least 15% for wheat production from a year earlier, but it could be as much as a 28% decline, according to lobby group AGPB. That would indicate production of as little as 26 million tons this season.

“The drop in harvests is catastrophic for cereal growers,” AGPB President Eric Thirouin said in a statement, adding that their aggregated loss of income may exceed €1.6 billion ($1.7 billion).

The slump in one of Europe’s top grains exporters comes as bad weather also batters crops in other major shippers, including Russia. That risks reviving food inflation ahead.

Crop Damage

AGPB on Monday invited Agriculture Minister Marc Fesneau to meet farmers in a bid to see urgent action taken by the government. His ministry is assessing the damage before they can provide farmers with insurance support, he said.

The farmers are seeking compensation, tax relief, deferral of loan payments of loans payments, the group said.

This spring was the nation’s fourth wettest ever, with rainfall at 45% higher the 10-year average, according to Meteo France. Floods and landslides across the country have caused severe damage to agricultural areas. Sunshine has also been almost 20% lower than the seasonal average.

The damage can be seen already. Just 41% of the French soft wheat crop was harvested as of July 22, down from 76% a year earlier, according to FranceAgriMer. Soft wheat in a good to very good condition also declined.