Green stalks of corn fill the horizon of the French countryside, contrasting with the blond stubble of harvested wheat fields. With the current drought, they are in places under water stress and barely reach 40 centimeters, or even less. Elsewhere, sown early in April in deep or irrigated land, they exceed 2 meters and wave in the wind.
Read also: France again facing drought
Often accused of being too greedy in water, corn is the second cereal produced in France behind wheat, with 3 million hectares cultivated, or 10% of its agricultural surface. However, "contrary to popular belief, corn does not consume more water than other crops such as wheat", assures Daniel Peyraube, president of the General Association of Corn Producers (AGPM). According to scientific data, it takes 238 liters of water to produce 1 kg of forage corn, compared to 590 liters of water for 1 kg of wheat or 900 liters for 1 kg of soybeans. "The problem is that this cereal needs the most
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