Agriculture in France has been significantly impacted by a prolonged period of drought and intense heatwaves over the past few months. These extreme weather conditions have reduced crop yields and increased the prices of fruits and vegetables. The combination of less rainfall and higher temperatures has disrupted the agricultural sector, leading to noticeable changes in what consumers find in their grocery stores. At the end of summer, fruit and vegetable markets have taken on a somewhat unusual look. Pears are bumpy, beans are tiny, and zucchinis are scratched. Daniel Sauvaitre, a fruit grower in Charente and president of the Interprofession of fresh fruits and vegetables (Interfel), says the unique challenge this year is the combination of drought and record temperatures. Despite some imperfections, his apples remain very sweet. Nicolas Chabanne, founder of the brand C'est qui le patron?!, notes that "broken faces" have become the norm, which may influence consumer preferences. Major supermarkets, including Auchan, Leclerc, and Carrefour, have pledged to be more accepting of the varied sizes and appearances of fruits and vegetables, encouraging customers to support French farmers. Heatwaves have also taken a toll on poultry farms, with nearly 700,000 laying hens dying since June, according to the interprofession, which represents about 2% of the total flock. Alice Richard, director of the National Committee for the Promotion of the Egg (CNPO), explains that the surviving hens consume less grain and lay fewer and smaller eggs. This could lead to temporary shortages in some supermarket aisles, although the situation is expected to reverse over time. However, producers may face high demand for several years. Potato farmers are also facing challenges. Mathieu Comijn, a Belgian farmer, reports that his potatoes are much smaller than usual. The National Union of Potato Producers (UNPT) states that the drought has caused a "massive" decrease in production, resulting in smaller fries and chips. Dominique Schelcher, CEO of Coopérative U, confirms that fries will be significantly smaller, with a reduction of three to four centimeters in the cone. Martial Mazingarbe, a chip producer, assures that the chips will be smaller but still enjoyable. The drought has also affected cheese production, with the specifications of several AOP (Appellation d'Origine Protégée) cheeses temporarily relaxed due to the burning of green grass in many regions. This has led to changes in the taste, smell, and color of the cheese. A study published in the Journal of Dairy Science in 2025 notes that when cows feed on pasture grass, the cheeses are more melting, more yellow, and more aromatic. When they consume little or no grass, the cheeses are more white, firmer, and have less pronounced flavors. A Comté producer confirms that the cheeses will "rather be white paste like in winter." Wine production is expected to decline to a historically low level this year, with the 2026 vintage being rare and more alcoholic. The Champagne Committee has received an exceptional authorization to market bottles with more than 13% – and up to 15% – alcohol due to the rapid maturation of the grapes. Some vintages may have a slight smoky flavor due to fires fueled by the drought, although the Union of French Oenologists has not yet detected any smoky notes. Packaged salads have largely disappeared from many supermarket aisles due to the impact of high temperatures and drought on vegetables. Dominique David, a vegetable grower, notes that salads are much smaller than usual, with spinach, arugula, mesclun, iceberg, chêne leaves, and lettuce all affected. Marc Kéranguéven, president of the Prince de Bretagne cooperative, reports losses of 400 tons of salads per week. Alexandre Bréjean, a vegetable grower in Quetigny, adds that the situation is dire, with everything dead and the proliferation of insects exacerbated by drought and high temperatures.