French farmers could lose thousands of tons of vegetables, and some agricultural sectors risk losing up to 50% of their annual production volume due to 40-degree heat destroying farmland. Shoppers have already been warned about a reduced selection of fresh produce on supermarket shelves.

In the coming weeks, the country may face shortages of onions, microgreens, leafy lettuce, carrots, leeks, shallots, garlic, blueberries, and strawberries.

The industry group Vegetables of France warned that the current situation is turning into a real annus horribilis (Latin for “horrible year”).

“Three extremely powerful heat waves in three weeks across France and Europe: for the domestic open-field vegetable sector, this year is becoming catastrophic.

The third heat wave is still ongoing, but the data from July’s scorching heat are already painting a horrifying picture: the situation is critical.

For crops such as lamb’s lettuce, microgreens, leafy lettuce, carrots, leeks, shallots, garlic, and onions, losses are already being measured in thousands of tons for each category. For producers, this already means tens of millions of euros in losses.”

Representatives of the organization added that in some segments, losses could reach 50% of the entire annual harvest.

Growth comes to a halt and a food crisis looms

Back in May, before the country was hit by abnormal heat, France had planned to harvest about 495,000 tons of tomatoes. However, according to Vegetables of France, this season the growth and ripening of nearly half of the tomato crop have simply stopped.

The situation is being worsened by logistical disruptions and supply problems within Europe, as not only France but also neighboring countries have been hit by extreme temperatures. Because of the acute water shortage, re-sowing or transplanting seedlings will be impossible if the weather does not normalize within the next two weeks — which, according to meteorologists’ forecasts, is extremely unlikely.

Since May, three record-breaking heat waves have been recorded in France, with thermometers in some regions rising to +44°C.

Farmland has been hit by the so-called “föhn effect”: scorching dry winds combined with extreme temperatures evaporate moisture from plants faster than their root systems can absorb water from the soil. As a result, crops simply burn out and die.

Threat to the economy and livestock farming

Vegetables of France emphasizes that the current crisis will lead to severe consequences for the economy and labor market: agricultural businesses are shutting down, forcing farmers to suspend the hiring of seasonal workers and place employees on involuntary leave.

“Businesses are ceasing operations, and production capacity — both current and future — is simply melting away before our eyes. So much for self-sufficiency indicators, so much for food sovereignty.

In the near term, we should expect empty shelves in stores, because imports will not be able to cover the resulting deficit. We are entering a new trade reality, the defining feature of which is shortage.”

At the same time, the extreme weather has hit not only vegetable and fruit production. Poultry and dairy farms have also been seriously affected.

So far, about 700,000 chickens have died in France due to the abnormal heat. The surviving birds are laying significantly fewer eggs (which have also become smaller) or have stopped laying altogether.

“We have never encountered anything like this. It is simply an unprecedented case,” poultry farmer Frédéric Chartier told France3 in an interview.