Business · Energy & Commodities · 8 hrs ago
French farm cooperatives warn drought costs could raise food prices
Drought and heat have severely affected farming across France since late May.
Dany Rochefort, a farm cooperative leader and farmer in Brittany, says his maize harvest fell by 60% to 65%, leaving him needing to buy more animal feed.
A €1.3 billion government emergency package is not enough, he says, because much of it supports insurance that not all farmers have.
Cooperatives warn that higher production costs could push food prices up, after retailers granted them a 0.05% price increase in early 2026 despite their request for about 3.5%.
Energy, packaging, transport and labour costs have continued to rise, and the next commercial negotiations will need to account for those costs.
Farmers are now preparing winter sowing and rebuilding animal-feed stocks, while La Coopération Agricole plans to raise concerns about the sector's competitiveness with presidential candidates.
French agricultural cooperatives warn that drought-related production costs could feed into food prices in future commercial negotiations.
Dany Rochefort, vice-president of La Coopération Agricole, says drought and heatwaves have affected all French regions severely since late May.
Rochefort says his maize harvest fell by 60% to 65%, forcing him to buy more animal feed.
He says government support is insufficient to cover farmers’ losses and cash-flow shortfalls.
Cooperatives say they absorbed rising costs, but energy, packaging, transport and labour costs continue to increase.
- Who
- French agricultural cooperatives, represented by Dany Rochefort, vice-president of La Coopération Agricole.
- What
- The cooperatives warn that drought-related costs could lead to higher food prices.
- When
- The article was published on 16 October 2026. The drought has affected farms since late May.
- Where
- Across France; Rochefort describes losses on his farm in Côtes-d'Armor.
- Why
- Drought has damaged harvests and raised farm production costs, including the cost of animal feed.
La Coopération Agricole
Large food retailers
Price negotiations
La Coopération Agricole
Cooperatives sought a price increase of about 3.5% in early 2026.
Large food retailers
Cooperatives received an increase of 0.05% from large retailers.
Future costs
La Coopération Agricole
Cooperatives say rising production costs must be included in future negotiations.
Large food retailers
Not stated.
Drought and heatwaves have severely affected agricultural areas across France.
Cooperatives sought a price increase of about 3.5% in commercial negotiations and received 0.05% from large retailers.
Rochefort warned that drought-related costs could affect food prices.
Rochefort says farmers will face higher feed costs and that future commercial negotiations must account for rising costs.
- Maize harvest
- Rochefort's crop fell by 60% to 65%.
- Emergency plan
- €1.3 billion announced by the government.
- Direct aid in Brittany
- Estimated at €4,500 to €5,000 per farm.
- Requested price increase
- About 3.5% in early 2026 negotiations.
- Increase received
- 0.05% from large retailers.
- Farm location
- Côtes-d'Armor
1 source
What people are saying
The whole of France has been severely affected since late May.
This is a drop in the ocean compared with the scale of the losses and cash-flow deficits we will face.
Food cannot be the only adjustment variable.
We have already acted as a shock absorber to absorb these costs.