Price of olive oil expected to rise again as European crops feel the heat

Farmers warn impact of high temperatures, drought and wildfires on range of foodstuffs means costs will increase Farmers across Europe are warning of a slump in food production and rising prices as crops from maize to salads suffer as a result of extreme heat, drought and wildfires. Olive groves have also been hit as the climate crisis drives temperatures across the continent to fresh record highs, meaning the cost of olive oil – already at elevated levels – is expected to start rising again. The vegetable growers association Légumes de France has warned that thousands of tonnes of products worth tens of millions of euros had been lost – including salad leaves, carrots, leeks, garlic and onion with production on certain crops expected to be halved because of the lack of rain. The scorching French weather has also held back grape growth in wine regions including Champagne, Bordeaux and Burgundy, threatening a smaller crop and one of the earliest harvests on record. In Champagne, producers expect the earliest harvest ever, with picking likely to start around 15 August, about a month earlier than was typical a few decades ​ago. Growers now expect grape yields to be about 10% smaller t