Severe Frost in France Leaves a Trail of Lost Crops Behind
- Sugar beet, vineyards, fruits are among the most damaged
- France may lose up to half a million tons of sugar output: CGB
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A sudden cold snap in France has ravaged crops from sugar beet to fruits and vineyards, leaving the nation’s farmers reeling under what Agriculture Minister Julien Denormandie described as “probably the biggest agronomic disaster of the beginning of the 21st century,” according to one report.
Frosty weather early last week followed a streak of mild temperatures that had spurred rapid vegetation on farms, leaving plants and vineyards vulnerable. The fast swing in April temperatures was the most drastic since 1947, and more frosts are possible on Wednesday and Thursday in northern regions, according to Meteo France.