The Facts

Since recent and recurrent droughts (in particular in 2003), maize acreage has been steadily declining and by 2006 and 2007 was less than 3 million hectares, whereas over the previous two decades it had been between 3 and 3.5 million hectares.

In 2008, acreage was back above 3 million hectares, partly because more land was being planted with grain maize.
Initial estimates for 2009 are for 1.4 million hectares of silage maize, 1.7 million hectares of grain maize, 64 000 hectares of seed maize and 19 000 hectares of sweet corn, i.e. total of 3.15 million hectares.

Over the past twenty years, the silage-to-grain breakdown has been fairly equal, with acreage changing over from one crop to the other according to climate conditions.

Total maize acreage accounts for some 9% of France’s UAA, with certain areas or “départements” clearly dominating: maize covers 44% of the UAA in Alsace and 60% in the Landes. It is grown across the country but two regions predominate: Brittany and Pays-de-Loire which account for more than 25% of maize acreage.

The development of silage maize between 1970 and 1990 was behind the recent extension and expansion of maize in France. France’s maize growing acreage is concentrated in four regions along the Atlantic coast: Brittany, the country’s leading maize-growing region producing 15%, followed by Aquitaine and Pays-de-Loire (each with 13% of total national maize acreage), then, in fourth position, Poitou-Charentes (7%).

In the European Union, approximately 8% of the UAA, or 13% or arable land, is used for maize, making a total of 14 million hectares, with grain maize predominating. Acreage in 2008, was 8.8 million hectares for grain maize and 5 million hectares for silage maize. Seed maize and sweet corn cover approximately 120 000 hectares and 70 000 hectares respectively.

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