Key facts
- Europe's June heatwave cost grain farmers an estimated €2 billion in lost revenue.
- The heatwave resulted in the destruction of approximately 10 million tonnes of crops.
- The European harvest is now projected to be 9 million tonnes smaller than initially forecast.
- This reduced harvest is the smallest recorded in the EU and UK since 2018.
- Maize crops were particularly affected during their crucial pollination period.
- France is expected to experience the largest grain losses, with 3.4 million tonnes of maize lost.
Europe's grain farmers are estimated to have lost €2 billion in revenue and 10 million tonnes of crops due to a severe heatwave in June. The European association for cereal and oilseed trade, Coceral, predicts the harvest in the EU and UK will be 9 million tonnes smaller than previously forecast, marking the lowest yield since 2018. The intense heat, which resulted in the hottest June on record in western Europe, critically impacted maize during pollination and wheat during its grain-filling stage. The Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) thinktank calculated the monetary value of lost grain production, excluding other agricultural losses like vegetables and livestock. France is expected to suffer the most significant losses, with 3.4 million tonnes of maize lost, valued at €891 million, followed by Hungary and Spain. Farmers in France reported yield losses of up to 70% for certain crops, even with adaptations to hotter conditions. In the UK, dry conditions in spring and during the June heatwave have also taken a toll on crop development, particularly for spring crops. The reduced European harvest is occurring as global crop supplies are already tightening due to severe drought in parts of the US, potentially leading to higher global commodity prices and increased European dependency on grain imports.