French farming weakens across wine and crops
Costs, extreme weather and trade pressure weaken French farming, from fruit and cereals to wine. Wine exports are falling and vineyard area is forecast to contract.
Europe’s leading agricultural producer, France has weakened amid competition, geopolitical and trade tensions and climatic disruption. Minister Annie Genevard was due to close food-sovereignty conferences on Thursday, after higher fertilizer and fuel costs, drought and heatwaves in 2026.1
The agricultural trade balance fell to €200 million in 2025. France ranked 6th in European farm exports, from 2nd in 2000; without wine, its balance has been negative since 2014. In the first 7 months of 2026, a €600 million surplus replaced a €100 million deficit a year earlier.1
France ranks 3rd in Europe for fresh vegetables and 5th for fruit, yet imports almost 50% of consumption. Fresh-produce self-sufficiency was 54% in 2021–2023; targets are +5 points by 2030 and +10 by 2035.1
Only potatoes are self-sufficient; France leads their exports but lacks processing plants.1
Europe’s top wheat, maize and sugar-beet producer saw all 3 suffer in summer 2026: maize and beet had their worst crops since 1980; wheat fell 5%.1
AGPB says straw cereals lost 900,000 hectares in 10 years, reaching 7.2 million in 2026, due to weaker profitability.1
Wine and spirits generate France’s 3rd trade surplus, but it erodes yearly. Export value fell 8% in 2025 amid US-China tariff disputes, an unfavorable exchange rate and lower consumption.1
Volumes are declining in all traditional markets, France included, as consumption changes. The 2026 harvest should exceed 2025’s, the smallest since 1957, but remain 10% below the 2021–2025 average.1
Facing overproduction, France, the 2nd-largest wine producer after Italy, introduced a 3rd vine-removal aid program. Vineyard area should fall to 740,000 hectares, from almost 800,000 5 years earlier.1
Livestock and fishing are relatively resilient in Europe, but significantly down from previous years.1
Sources
Written by the Dionysus editors from the sources above.
