Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, May 13th. France, a major European grain-producing country, is facing the threat of drought. Major grain-producing areas are constantly being roasted at high temperatures. Major grain crops such as wheat may reduce their yields, which will affect the global grain market.
Drought may lead to a reduction in yield
Roban Lachao grows wheat in Syria on the Loire in central France. During this period of previous years, the wheat had already ears and blossomed under the nourishment of spring rain, but it did not rain for a long time this year, and Lashao had to pump water to irrigate the wheat fields.
On February 26, at the 58th France International Agricultural Expo held in Paris, France, staff took care of the cattle. Photo by Gao Jing, Xinhua News Agency,
"If we don't irrigate the land today, we will lose 50% of the output," Lashao told AFP reporter, "Often we don't irrigate the land during this period, but the drought period is getting more and more Early." ”
The French Ministry of Agriculture warned on the 9th that the precipitation in France in the last winter was lower than in previous years, and the current unseasonal high temperatures and drought weather "will have an impact on grain production." In addition to wheat, May is also a critical period for barley growth, and the yield of corn, sunflower, may also decrease.
"No region is not affected," said Christiana Lambert, president of the French National Federation of Agricultural Operators' Unions. "Every day we see more land drying up and cracking... If we continue, there is water irrigation It's OK, there will be severe production cuts in places without water irrigation."
This is the baguette for sale filmed in a bakery in Paris, France on April 15. Data released by the French National Institute of Statistics and Economics on the 15th showed that France's consumer price index (CPI) rose 4.5% year-on-year and 1.4% month-on-month, the largest year-on-year increase since December 1985. Photo by Gao Jing, Xinhua News Agency
AFP quoted data from the French meteorological department on the 12th that from September 2021 to April 2022, France's precipitation decreased by 20%, and the high temperatures that France is currently experiencing "from the timing of occurrence," It is worth noting in terms of duration and geographical scope.”
price increase may lead to starvation
According to AFP, France's grain production ranks first among European Union 27 member countries, and wheat exports rank among the top five in the world. If France reduces grain production, it will intensify global food supply tightness and make the already high grain prices worse.
Russia launched a special military operation on Ukrainian on February 24, and the latter's food production was affected. French Keiro Energy Data Analysis Company estimated that Ukraine's wheat planting area has decreased by about one-third this year by analyzing satellite images. Data released by the Ukrainian Ministry of Agriculture on the 12th showed that the country's grain exports in May fell by more than 50% compared with May last year. United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization data shows that Ukraine's wheat and corn exports accounted for 20% of the world's global exports in the past three years.
This is the people photographed on May 3 at the Zaporoz resettlement site in Ukraine. Xinhua News Agency (photo by Diego Herrera)
Ukraine's grain production cuts are expected to further push up grain prices. According to AFP, before late February, the price of wheat in Europe had reached a high level of 260 euros per ton (about 1,839 yuan). Stimulated by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the price of wheat per ton has now risen to a record 400 euros per ton. (approximately RMB 2,829).
AFP analyzed that the recent rise in grain prices is due to the situation in Russia and Ukraine, which is also related to the expectation of some farmers to raise prices. In addition, since the large grain-producing states in the United States, Kansas and Oklahoma are also facing drought, the impact of grain production cuts in France may be more significant.
United Nations and some food aid organizations warn that supply shortages and rising prices will impact countries that rely heavily on imports of food, such as Yemen and the Sahel region in Africa. Theresa Anderson, a member of the UK office of the International Action Assistance Organization, said that according to the survey by the organization, food prices in some developing countries are more than triple as before, and poor families have to cut meals or let their children drop out of school. The continued drought in France may worsen the situation. (Liu Xiuling)
