“The summer rain favoured growth of crops harvested in the Autumn, such as maize, beetroot and potatoes” stated the Minister of Agriculture’s Office of Statistics and Forecasting (SSP).
Heavy rainfall in July favoured beetroot growth. Yield will reach 91 tons/ha, a 6% growth in a year. Surface has also grown. Harvest should be high with 36.9 million tons. It will be 9% higher than last year and 7% higher than the 2009-2013 average.
The heavy rainfall this summer will also lead to an increase in ware potato yield, with the half-season estimated at 50 tons/ha, a 12% increase over a year. In the Nord-Pas-de-Calais, yield will increase by 22%, by 9% in Picardy and 15% in the Centre. These three regions represent three quarters of French production. Production will reach 6.1 million tons, i.e. 22% more than the 2009-2013 average. Increase in surface also contributes to the increase in production. Harvest of starch potatoes will be on the down (-3.7% over a year), increase in yield does not compensate for the decrease in surface.