Georges Gobet, AFP | Cows look for food on dry grassland as some parts of France experience extreme and exceptional drought conditions on July 20, 2019, near Lussat, Creuse region, central France.
France will ask the European Commission to bring forward the payment of 1 billion euros ($1.12 billion) of subsidies to help farmers cope with a hot spell that hurt crops and pasture, the farm minister said on Monday.
Hot weather in France this week is expected to prolong drought conditions that have impacted several sectors over the past months, including nuclear power generation and farming, and had led to restrictions on water use in 73 administrative departments by Monday.
A drought had already severely hurt grain crops in the EU’s largest producer last year.
“We need to help struggling farmers get through these difficult times, especially those who are struggling to feed their animals or already using hay stocks that were due to be kept for this fall and winter,” French Agriculture Minister Didier Guillaume told daily Le Parisien.
“In general, 50% of the aid linked to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is allocated in mid-October. We will ask the European Union to increase this percentage from 50% to 70% by Oct. 16. This will represent 1 billion euros in additional cash advance,” Guillaume said.