France farmers in crisis with worst drought in 50 years, hottest year in a century

By Tony Todd
1 June 2011 The spring of 2011 has been the driest in decades and the hottest in a century, a deep concern for France’s indebted farming community. The younger generation, which has borrowed heavily to invest in properties, is most gravely affected. The worst drought in decades threatens to cripple France’s agricultural sector, while strict water restrictions are being imposed across the country. Hervé Brulé, a project director at the French Ministry of Ecology, told FRANCE 24 on Wednesday the water shortage was more severe than 1976, when a heat wave and 16-month dry spell parched much of northern Europe. “This is much worse than anything on record,” he said. “Of course the weather might change as we go into the second half of the year, but so far we have had less spring rain than in 1976.” Brulé said water restrictions were active in 58 of France’s 96 mainland departments, meaning households were forbidden by law from watering their gardens or filling up their swimming pools on certain days and during daylight hours (see graphic). France is the EU’s biggest producer of wheat, and a bad harvest could have significant implications for the price of bread far beyond its borders. …

Farmers in crisis as worst drought in decades bites

REUTERS – France’s government will have to pay out several hundred million euros to compensate farmers hit by its driest spring in 50 years, chiefly livestock breeders who face high feed costs, the agriculture minister said on Tuesday. Bruno Le Maire also said that French bank Credit Agricole had agreed to provide 700 million euros ($1 billion) in loans to boost the liquidity of struggling livestock farmers.
 
“The situation for French farmers is serious. We wanted to act swiftly and on a large scale,” said Le Maire, who held a special meeting of farming and industrial organisations to discuss the drought.
 
“To think we could get through this with 80 or 100 million euros would be naive.”
 
The March-May period in France has been the driest in the last 50 years and the hottest since at least 1900, public weather service Meteo France said.
 
More than half of France’s administrative departments have imposed water restrictions, including irrigation curbs in the worst-affected areas, according to environment ministry data. … Le Maire said distress among French breeders was so strong he had sought reinforcement for a special organisation that tries to prevent suicide among farmers.

Worst dry spell in 50 years costs France millions