Farmers' association: Heavy rainfall jeopardizes harvest
The heavy rainfalls, according to the farmers' association assessment, are threatening the harvest in Germany. For cereals, the yield is expected to fall short of the previous year's result by approximately 42 million tonnes, stated Association President Joachim Rukwied during a farm visit. The rainy and warm weather is fostering potato and rot decay in potato farming, leading to harvest losses due to scarcity of plant protection agents.
The farmers' representative spoke about flooding, floods, and waterlogging in view of increased usage of plant protection agents: "In combination with rising temperatures, this significantly increases the risk for fungal infestation in many crops." Farmers needed a broad spectrum of active ingredients to keep the plants resilient. However, in Germany, fewer plant protection agents and active ingredients are available, putting cereal farming at risk.
Last autumn's wet weather had forced many farmers to abandon their plans due to poor germination in deep soils. As a result, the acreage for winter wheat and winter rapes declined.
Farmers were often able to sow only in the spring, leading to an increase of nearly 100,000 hectares in the area for summer wheat. Winter wheat remains the most important cereal crop in Germany with 2.6 million hectares. It is followed by winter rye with 1.3 million hectares.
The lack of effective plant protection products due to fewer available agents is making it challenging for farmers to combat the increased risk of fungal infestation caused by the heavy precipitation and rising temperatures. This situation is particularly problematic for cereal farming, as reported by the farmers' association president. The missing strong measures against potato decay and rot, exacerbated by the precipitation, could lead to significant harvest losses.
