French agriculture faces crisis from drought and feed shortages

French agriculture is facing a severe crisis driven by extreme drought and heatwaves, impacting crop yields and livestock sustainability. The FDSEA de la Marne has reported catastrophic conditions for beet harvests, noting degraded plant health and rot that threaten the entire supply chain and livestock feed availability.

Livestock producers are particularly vulnerable; silage corn harvests have dropped by 27%, and approximately one-third of breeders express concern regarding winter forage stocks. While animal feed manufacturers remain confident in their ability to supply the market, they face significant uncertainty regarding raw material origins and future pricing.

In response to these challenges, the Coordination rurale has called for increased water storage through the construction of reservoir lakes and has signaled a potential winter of protests. The union is seeking government assistance to combat rising fuel costs and is demanding more agricultural funding in the upcoming budget. Farmers are also increasingly adapting by shifting toward more drought-resistant crops like sorghum and millet.