While excessive rainfall makes it difficult for German farmers to harvest their grain, the French have average to good yields. This is according to official figures. The heat has clearly had less of an impact in France than it has in Germany.
The statistical service of the French agricultural ministry, Agreste, calculates an average wheat yield of 7,15 tons per hectare. This results in a total volume of 36,78 million tonnes, which is 3% above the 5-year average. The French wheat harvest is therefore a third larger than after the disastrous year of 2016. In Agreste's July forecast, the total volume was still 567.000 tons lower.
Uncertainty in Germany
In Germany, advocacy organization DBV is still uncertain about the wheat harvest. After a very dry spring and dry start to the summer, it is now very wet. It is not yet clear what influence the rain has on the harvest. For the time being, according to DBV chairman Joachim Rukwied, the average of 7,3 tons per hectare remains. With 3,2 million hectares, wheat is the most important grain crop in Germany.
Drought, rain and frost
The DBV estimates that the total grain harvest will be well over 45 million tons. Last year that was 45,5 million tons. That level is below the 5-year average of almost 48 million tons of grain. The heavy rainfall in June, and local flooding more recently in July and August, causes a reduction in the quality of wheat, rapeseed and spring barley. Winter barley has escaped this misery. The chill yield for this crop is lower due to the extreme heat in June. Rapeseed particularly suffered from the cold spring, with night frost until well into April during the flowering period. DBV estimates the yield at 3,6 tons per hectare, compared to an average of 3,9 tons.
French grains perform better
Despite the fact that France has gotten through the growing season better, the ministry in Paris is talking about a normal harvest. In addition to wheat, other grain types have also made a significant jump compared to the 2016 harvest. For durum wheat, the yield is even 21% higher. For barley this is 18% and for oats 20%. Grain maize takes the cake. A 24% increase in yield is expected from this. Rapeseed yields 10% more.
Silage maize is also clearly performing better in France, although the difference with 2016 is less significant. Agreste assumes 10% more yield. Good for 1,6 million tons of extra corn in the pit.