Cereals and Crops: France's Breadbasket

The Beauce region south of Paris, known as France's breadbasket, showcases industrial-scale agriculture. Wheat fields stretch to the horizon, cultivated by GPS-guided tractors and monitored by drones. France produces 35 million tons of wheat annually, making it the EU's largest producer and a major exporter.

Precision Agriculture Revolution

Modern cereal farming bears little resemblance to traditional practices. François Durand manages 300 hectares in Beauce with just two full-time employees, using:

- Satellite imagery to monitor crop health and identify problem areas - Variable-rate fertilizer application based on soil analysis - Weather stations providing microclimate data - Automated irrigation systems responding to soil moisture sensors - Yield mapping during harvest to optimize future planting

"My grandfather needed 20 workers to farm 50 hectares," François notes. "I farm six times that with advanced technology. But the investment is enormous—a modern combine harvester costs €400,000. You need scale to survive."

Economic Pressures and Responses

Cereal farmers face volatile global commodity prices, increasing input costs, and pressure to reduce environmental impacts. Responses include:

- Crop diversification, adding rapeseed, sunflowers, and protein crops - Direct contracting with food processors for stable prices - Investment in storage facilities to time sales optimally - Adoption of conservation agriculture techniques to reduce costs - Participation in carbon credit programs