Climate
June 2026 heatwave: 9 million tonnes of cereals destroyed across Europe
Europe's June 2026 heatwave — the warmest June ever recorded in Western Europe — destroyed approximately 9 million tonnes of cereals and cost EU and UK farmers some €2 billion (£1.7 billion) in lost revenues, according to the ECIU. France bore the brunt, losing 3.4 million tonnes of maize valued at €891 million. Hungary (2.4 Mt) and Spain (1.4 Mt) were the second and third most affected nations. The 2026 harvest is expected to be the weakest since 2018, falling 9 million tonnes short of pre-heatwave forecasts. The extreme temperatures coincided with critical growth stages for cereals: maize pollination and wheat grain fill, both especially vulnerable to heat and water stress.