Extreme heat, drought and forest fires across Europe this summer have caused estimated losses of between €14 billion and €17 billion to European Union agricultural output, according to the EU agricultural commissioner, Christophe Hansen.
Hansen gave the estimate after meeting agricultural ministers in Brussels. The damage has also been put at up to 184 billion kroner.
The final figure remains uncertain because harvest operations are still under way. Hansen said the full scale of the losses will become clear only once the final harvest has been completed.
Farmers across the EU have faced a succession of heat waves, dry conditions and forest fires during the summer. The combined pressures have caused severe stress for agriculture, with the estimate covering damage to EU farm output rather than a detailed account by crop or member state.
Livestock farmers have also faced a shortage of grass for animal feed, one of the direct consequences of the dry conditions. The brief estimate therefore captures a season in which weather damage has affected both crops being harvested and feed available for animals.
No final breakdown has yet been given for losses by crop, country or the share of total EU agricultural output affected. The assessment will be completed after harvests finish, when the preliminary range of €14 billion to €17 billion can be tested against final production losses.
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