Due to an intense summer drought, early apple harvests in France are being severely impacted, according to Françoise Roch, president of the national federation of fruit producers. Speaking on Wednesday on franceinfo, she warned about the consequences of the extreme heat on agricultural production. Soil moisture levels in September are at a historical low, with almost no rainfall recorded since the beginning of the month, as reported by Météo-France. This has led to significant stress on crops, especially those harvested earlier in the season. Among the most affected crops are early apple varieties, such as Gala, which are typically harvested in early August. These apples have been particularly impacted by the heatwaves, resulting in a noticeable reduction in size. Françoise Roch explained that the smaller size of the apples is a direct consequence of the prolonged drought. In contrast, other crops like plums and grapes have shown greater resilience to the heat, with their harvests proceeding more normally. Looking ahead, there is some hope that later apple varieties, which are harvested in the autumn, might achieve a more typical size, assuming the weather improves. However, the overall yield of crops has been significantly reduced, leading to potential revenue losses for producers. Françoise Roch emphasized the need for support from all stakeholders, particularly large retailers, who she says make many public commitments but fail to translate these into tangible support for farmers on the ground. Another concern raised by Roch is the competition from imported fruits in the market. She noted that while French table grapes are priced much higher than their imported counterparts—often between 5 to 8 euros compared to 1.50 euros for Italian grapes—the margins for French producers are not comparable. This pricing disparity leads consumers to opt for cheaper foreign products, undermining the local market. Roch stressed that this situation is unacceptable and calls for a more balanced approach that supports French agricultural producers.