Warm, dry weather in the past month has helped European farmers catch up on maize planting but crops could start to suffer unless regular rain returns. Planting of maize (corn) is winding down in the European Union, including in top producer France where 86 percent of the expected area had been sown by May 14. A wet, cold start to spring had delayed planting and while field work has accelerated sharply this month it is still behind last year’s pace when 97% of the area had been sown by the same date. The only question mark in France is the delay in planting, which concerns the west of the country. Groundwater reserves have been replenished by the winter rain, which is a positive factor for summer irrigation.