The French crop harvest this season is estimated to be a lot more prosperous on average than last year, when prolonged drought and heat affected the harvest. The hectare yield of maize will improve considerably and the potato harvest will also increase by more than 10% in 2023.
This is evident from the new estimates for the 2023 harvest from the French agricultural statistics service Agreste, which speaks of some 'promising yields'. Now that the grain harvest is over, common wheat production is estimated at 35,1 million tons. That is 4,3% higher than 2022 and 2,2% higher than the five-year average. Barley cultivation is also higher this year at 12,1 million tons, which is 6,6% higher than in 2022. The increase is explained by better hectare yields according to the statistics service.
Oilseed crops remain popular
Rapeseed cultivation continued to gain popularity this season given the increase in the acreage, but the total yield is estimated to be 4,3% lower than 5,2 at 2022 million tons. The cultivation increased this season by more than 100.000 hectares, or 9 %. The other oil seed crops are doing better in terms of hectare yield than last season and sunflower seeds can reach a record production of 2,1 million tons. That is 16% higher than 2022 and no less than 32% higher than the five-year average.
As far as sugar beets are concerned, the favorable growing season has made up for the late sowing. However, the good yields cannot fully compensate for the decline in the area. The total yield is therefore estimated to be 0,9% lower than in 2022 and amounts to 31,2 million tons of sugar beets. Compared to the five-year average, the beet yield is 8,2% lower.
The yield of consumption potatoes is picking up again this year, partly due to area expansion (+3,5%) and a reasonable hectare yield after the disappointing 2022 harvest. The hectare yield is estimated at 42,6 tons. The potato yield is now estimated at 6,8 million tons, a record according to the French statistics service. Last year, only 6 million tons were harvested, 11,6% lower than the 2023 estimate. The estimated yield is also 6,5% higher than the five-year average.
Starch potato cultivation, on the other hand, has fallen again to only 16.000 hectares and is estimated at 0,6 million tons. That is a minus of 17,4% compared to 2022 and 27% lower than the five-year average. Cultivation has been under pressure in Europe, and certainly in France, for years due to low prices and other crops that are more lucrative.
Sweet corn cultivation is estimated at a yield of 11,5 million tons this season. The area fell to 1,2 million hectares this season, making it the lowest in more than thirty years. However, the precipitation in July and August was very beneficial for cultivation and partly compensated for the decrease in surface area. Nevertheless, the total yield is 16,1% higher than 2022, which was severely affected by heat and drought. However, the total yield remains well below the five-year average at 13,3%. The cultivation area for silage maize is more stable and amounts to 15,3 million tons this year, or 11,9% higher than 2022 and 3,6% below the five-year average.