Abundant rains in France delay beet harvesting and cereal planting

The cold wave that is devastating France does not worry farmers. The crops already planted are in a dormant period and tolerate the cold well. What is becoming a headache for French farmers is the abundant rains. According to estimates by the French agricultural organization FNSEA, in the Pas de Calais region there are still beets, potatoes and chicory to be harvested. The fields are flooded with water and the machines cannot enter. They point out that there are about 2,200 hectares left unharvested, of which between 200 and 300 hectares will most likely be lost. In the 2023 campaign, 378,000 hectares have been planted compared to 402,000 hectares in 2022. In terms of yields, according to data from the French Ministry of Agriculture published in December, an improvement of more than 6% is expected compared to the previous year, up to 83 .5 t/ha.(+6.4%) With the rains, not only those who cannot harvest are being harmed, but also those who cannot sow. In certain areas of ...