Farmers across Europe are facing crop losses and rising costs after a fierce heatwave dried out fields and pushed irrigation to its limits.
In France, fieldwork has been banned during the hottest hours to protect workers and cut fire risks. Farm operations were halted as temperatures soared past 39C in parts of the country.
Spain and Portugal recorded some of their highest June temperatures ever, with El Granado hitting 46C and Mora reaching 46.6C. Italy placed 21 cities, including Rome and Milan, on red alert as heat topped 38C.
Wildfire warnings remain in place in southern France, Spain and Greece.
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Potato sector under strain
The European potato sector is bracing for lower yields if the heat continues.
Extreme heat can damage tuber growth, reduce yields and disrupt harvest schedules. Farmers in Spain, Italy and southern France are relying heavily on irrigation to prevent crop failure.
Meteorologists cited by the farming website Wikifarmer warn that if the marine heatwave in the Mediterranean pushes sea temperatures up to 9C above normal, inland weather could stay unstable well into July, putting additional pressure on already struggling farms.
The heat comes on top of what is already a costly challenge for Europe’s farmers.
A European Commission study found that droughts and heatwaves already cost EU farms and livestock producers around 28 billion euros a year.
That is about 6 percent of total agricultural production. The commission expects this to rise to 10 percent by 2050 if extreme weather events become more frequent.
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Water and health strain
French hospitals are treating more cases of heat exhaustion and dehydration, especially in rural areas. Meanwhile the government brought in driving restrictions in big cities to cut air pollution and shut a nuclear plant to prevent its cooling system from overheating.
People this week were urged to stay indoors during peak heat, drink plenty of water and check on elderly neighbours.
Farmers face a double challenge – crops need more water, but extreme heat makes it harder for plants to use what little moisture remains in the soil.
New normal?
The UN has warned the extreme heat is “no longer unusual – it’s the new baseline”.
Climatologists say the “heat dome” trapping hot air over Europe is part of a wider trend of longer, hotter spells linked to climate change. Dry soils and shifting weather patterns are making future heatwaves more likely.
Forecasters warn the heat could stick around for the first half of July.
For farmers, the damage may stretch well beyond this summer, with lower harvests adding to the strain.
