European Union Corn: 2026 Seasonal Update

MY 2026/27: Heat and Drought Led to a Disappointing Harvest

European Union (EU) corn production for marketing year (MY) 2026/27 is estimated at 48.0 million metric tons (mmt). This is the smallest crop since MY 1994/95, when the European Union had fewer member states. Harvested area is estimated at 7.4 million hectares, down 1 percent from last month and 10 percent from last year, marking the lowest harvested area on record. Yield is estimated at 6.5 tons per hectare, down 4 percent from last month, 6 percent from last year, and 7 percent below the 5-year average, and is the lowest since MY 2022/23 (Figure 1).

Overview of Crop Geography and Crop Calendar

Corn is grown widely across the European Union (EU) (Figure 2). About half of all EU corn production comes from France (21 percent), Romania (17 percent), and Poland (12 percent). Although corn is more prominent in southern countries, it has expanded northward in recent decades with short-season varieties. Corn planting typically runs from March through May, with harvest beginning in September and lasting into December. The EU is the world's fifth-largest corn producer. In northern countries, corn can reach moisture levels as high as 30 percent at harvest, requiring significant expenses for mechanical drying to meet market standards of below 16 percent moisture.

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