The Agriculture Ministry of France has raised its forecast for the country’s 2023 corn harvest, citing good growing conditions since mid-July, reports Agroforum.
Corn harvest
In its monthly estimates for the main arable crops in France, the ministry estimated the ongoing corn harvest at 11.78 million tonnes, excluding crops grown for seed. This is now 10.6 percent above last year’s drought-hit harvest, compared with the 11.22 million forecast in September.
Despite the new forecast, the figure is 9.4 percent below the average for the past five years, reflecting a steep fall in area sown.
Sugar beet
For sugar beet, harvesting of which is also well under way, the ministry expects a harvest of 31.29 million tonnes, up from the 31.21 million estimated last month. This is now only 0.7 percent below last year’s volume, but still 7.9 percent below the five-year average, as this year’s high yield does not compensate for the decline in area sown. The ministry noted that the first beet harvest results showed low sugar content.
Sunflower
The forecast for sunflower, also a summer crop, rose to a new record of 2.17 million tonnes, up from 2.08 million tonnes in September and 38.5 percent above the five-year average.
Wheat
For wheat, the most-produced cereal in France, the ministry raised output estimates slightly to 35.15 million tonnes from 35.14 million last month and 4.3 percent above the 2022 level.
Total commodity production was raised slightly to 12.25 million tonnes, up 7.3 percent from 2022,” the international agricultural press reported, citing the British news agency Thomson Reuters.
The increase was mainly due to a rise in the estimate for winter barley production, which is now at 9.66 million tonnes, up from 9.60 million tonnes in September and 14 percent above the 2022 level.
In contrast, the ministry lowered its estimate for 2023 canola production to 4.27 million tonnes from 4.30 million tonnes last month, now 5.8 percent below last year.