Corn
crops are in the midst of flowering and adverse weather can lower the
number of kernels that ultimately fill with grain. Temperatures in some
areas of Europe have reached as high as 47 degrees Celsius, with Spain,
France, Greece and Portugal particularly affected.
The EU normally
imports large volumes of corn, which is mainly used as animal feed,
from Ukraine, but this year the shipments have been constrained by the
conflict. According to Bloomberg, this has driven up prices, with Paris
corn futures up 11% in July and trading at a record for the time of
year. Sunflower and soybean fields are also at risk from the hot, dry
conditions, the publication adds.
Europe’s wheat harvest has also been affected by the unusually hot
weather. Last week France, the EU’s top wheat exporter, said its
soft-wheat output will drop by about 7% this year, to below the
five-year average.
This comes amid reduced supplies of wheat and other grains from major
producers Russia and Ukraine, amid the ongoing conflict between the
countries. Other leading exporters, such as India and Kazakhstan, have
restricted or banned their grain exports, citing domestic food security.
The developments have triggered warnings of a possible global food
crisis." RT
