Europe’s Crops Mature Earlier in 2026 as Climate Change Shifts Harvest Dates
Impact of Climate Change on European Crop Harvests
By Tristan Veyet
Earlier Maturation and Harvesting Trends
Sept 7 (Reuters) - Maize, rapeseed and winter wheat matured and were harvested in Europe much earlier in 2026 than at the turn of the century, data shows, as warming climate upsets farming throughout the continent.
Data from the European Commission shows winter wheat reached maturity in some parts of the European Union 20 days earlier than in 2000, with similar intervals observed for rapeseed and corn.
Farmers’ Observations on Changing Harvest Dates
"More than 20 years ago we were always fully engaged in the maize harvest around September 14, 15 or 16. Today, we have almost shifted to the beginning of September," Hermann Greif, the district president for the Bavarian farmers' union of Upper Franconia, told Reuters.
Crops are typically harvested 10 to 20 days after reaching maturity, but this gap can vary significantly by crop, country and year.
"The same applies to cereals. In the past, we usually harvested wheat during the second week of August, between August 10 and 15. Nowadays, we sometimes harvest wheat already in July, during the last days of the month," Greif said.
Heatwaves and Accelerated Plant Development
Europe, the world's fastest-warming continent, went through several heatwaves in 2026, from as early as late May, which pushed crop maturity ever earlier.
Expert Insights on Crop Development
"Plant development is largely determined by the accumulation of heat units required to move from one physiological stage to the next and ultimately reach maturity," Sebastien Poncelet, senior analyst at Argus, said.
"As temperatures increase, even by just a few degrees, crops accumulate these heat units more quickly, which accelerates their development cycle and results in earlier maturity and harvest dates," he added.
Quality and Quantity of Crops Affected
QUALITY AND QUANTITY AFFECTED
Droughts and heat negatively affected the quantity of crops harvested.
Declining Crop Conditions and Yields
Data from French farm office FranceAgriMer estimated on Friday that only 27% of the grain maize crop was in good or excellent condition as of August 31, its lowest score in the office's records dating back to 2011, as the crop suffered the most from the extreme weather.
"Some crops that are harvested later and whose critical growth stages coincide with spring and summer droughts face significant difficulties," Greif said, adding those crops can face substantial yield reductions if they are hit by drought when they still require water.
Production Forecasts and Historical Context
France's agriculture ministry forecast a 35% drop in grain maize production compared to last year, while analysts expect output to plunge by around a half to its lowest level since 1976.
(Reporting by Tristan Veyet in Gdansk, editing by Milla Nissi-Prussak)
