Sébastien Lecornu promises immediate aid to French farmers facing catastrophic harvests due to continent-wide drought
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has pledged €145m in immediate aid to support the agricultural sector as a continent-wide drought and intense heatwaves cause a historic crisis for European farmers. The drought has severely impacted vegetable and grain production, with French vegetable yields falling significantly, including a0% to 100% for artichokes. Furthermore, the agriculture ministry estimated that France's maize harvest will be down by 35% compared to 2025 levels, a quantity not seen since 1980. This crisis is being driven by human-caused global heating and a supersized El Niño, which have scorched fields across Europe. Satellite imagery confirms the impact, showing shrunken glaciers, scorched areas from wildfires, and arid fields. In Italy, 60% of farmland is affected by drought, causing a 20% drop in milk production. Spain also reports significant cereal harvest shortfalls. The administration announced that structural support and investment measures will be included in the 2027 budget to ensure long long-term stability for the sector.