Agriculture - Bavaria's farmers hope for a good wheat harvest
The grain harvest in the Free State has begun. First, the already sown barley from the previous autumn is being threshed. Wheat - the most important cereal crop on Bavarian fields - follows in a few weeks. "The wheat stocks currently present themselves in a predominantly good developmental state," the Ministry of Agriculture shares. Based on the current status, one is expecting a median to slightly above-average wheat yield.
The cultures are currently standing well throughout Bavaria, says Anton Huber, an expert for cereals and oilseeds at the Bavarian Farmers' Association (BBV). So far, there has been sufficient water and warmth. However, due to the fact that the fields were very wet in some places, the application of plant protection was only possible to a limited extent in some cases. Local infections or pests could result in yield losses.
Total failures due to floods
After years in which drought made life difficult for farmers and reduced yields, it rained frequently in this year. Or even too frequently: In the areas affected by flooding in early June, farmers are reporting total failures. The fields were under water for days, so that they could no longer be harvested. Hail also caused local damage, according to the BBV.
According to figures from the Bavarian State Statistics Office, around 6.2 million tonnes of grain were harvested in Bayern last year. That was 1.2% more than in the particularly dry and hot summer of 2022 - but a decrease of 3.1% compared to the average of the years 2017 to 2022. Around 3.8 million tonnes of this were bread grains like wheat.
Positive development in many regions
The German Raiffeisen Association (DRV) does not expect the heavy rainfall of the past few weeks to have noticeable effects on the overall yield. "The flood-like downpours have caused significant damage regionally. This does not affect the overall yield," says DRV grain market expert Guido Seedler. In many regions of Germany, the stocks have developed positively due to sufficient precipitation and mild temperatures.
The Ministry of Food and Agriculture in BMELV (Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture) is closely monitoring the grain harvest progress across Germany, including in Bavaria. Despite the flooding incidents in certain regions, which led to total crop failures, the Agriculture Department in the Free State anticipates a median to slightly above-average wheat yield this year. This positive development is largely due to the fact that the agriculture sectors in many regions of Bavaria, like Munich, have benefited from sufficient water and warmth. Nevertheless, local infections or pests caused by limited plant protection application due to field wetness are potential threats, as expressed by the Bavarian Farmers' Association (BBV).
