# France forecasts drop in maize area as drought, costs deter farmers - Markets - Business Recorder

> The French farm ministry forecast grain maize plantings for 2023 at 1.25 million hectares, down 7.6% from 2022, and 1.33 million hectares including seed maize, the lowest in more than 30 years. Sunflower seed area is expected to rise to 868,000 hectares, the highest this century. Sugar beet area was also revised down.

- Date: 2023-05-17 · published 2023-05-17T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: report · region France · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/35918-france-forecasts-drop-in-maize-area-as-drought-costs-deter-farmers-markets
- Commodities: [Corn](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CORN.md)

## Why it matters

A sharp fall in French maize area reduces EU corn supply and may support corn prices and feed costs in Europe. The shift toward sunflower seed could add to sunflower meal supply later.

## Read by commodity

- CORN: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CORN | 2024-05-25 | [French wheat rating slips, maize sowing slows as rain returns - Markets - Business Recorder](https://feedsoft.ai/events/30177-french-wheat-rating-slips-maize-sowing-slows-as-rain-returns-markets-business.md) | +0.2% | -1.0% |
| CORN | 2020-06-30 | [CBOT corn futures climb - Markets - Business Recorder](https://feedsoft.ai/events/12775-cbot-corn-futures-climb-markets-business-recorder.md) | +3.3% | -1.5% |
| CORN | 2021-06-24 | [EU trims 2021/22 wheat harvest and stocks forecasts - Markets - Business Recorder](https://feedsoft.ai/events/46520-eu-trims-2021-22-wheat-harvest-and-stocks-forecasts-markets-business-recorder.md) | +4.6% | -5.8% |
| CORN | 2021-01-15 | [Corn set for biggest weekly gain since July as global supplies tighten - Markets - Business Recorder](https://feedsoft.ai/events/49183-corn-set-for-biggest-weekly-gain-since-july-as-global-supplies-tighten-markets.md) | -0.1% | +3.6% |
| CORN | 2026-05-15 | [Expana lifts EU wheat, abarley crop outlook, cuts maize - Markets - Business Recorder](https://feedsoft.ai/events/19181-expana-lifts-eu-wheat-abarley-crop-outlook-cuts-maize-markets-business-recorder.md) | +0.6% | -6.3% |

## Sources

- brecorder.com: https://www.brecorder.com/news/40242524

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.