Especially winter barley - Grain harvest has begun in Thuringia
Thuringian farmers are bringing in the grain harvest. Businesses in the Nordhausen region, in Altenburger Land, and in the Unstrut Hainich-District are now on the move with combine harvesters. "The harvest has begun in wide parts of Thuringia at the start of the week," said André Rathgeber of the Thuringian Farmers' Association in Erfurt upon request.
In Southern Thuringia, for example, in the Hildburghausen district and in the Rhön region, there are still tests to determine if winter barley is ripe for harvesting. In the past week, it had rained several times and thus delayed the originally forecasted harvest start by several days.
"The farms are now making use of the warm weather with temperatures up to 26 degrees. And there's also a nice breeze," said Rathgeber. Winter barley is being harvested primarily. But winter rapes have already reached the necessary ripeness level in some places and are being taken from the fields.
Winter wheat on 370,000 hectares
The farmers' association did not yet want to give an harvest forecast. This depends on many factors. A farm in Northern Thuringia has just reported that it expects up to 60 percent yield loss in rapes due to hail. Nationwide, the expectations of the farmers' association are moderate, also due to the weather conditions in this year.
According to the figures of the Statistical Office, winter barley is being grown on 75,900 hectares in this year. The area under this cereal type is relatively stable. According to the statisticians in Erfurt, less winter wheat is growing on Thuringian fields this year - a total of 370,000 hectares were contracted for winter wheat - a decrease of 19,900 hectares or five percent.
Winter wheat, which makes up a large share, was sown on 170,300 hectares. The decrease was over ten percent above average. The cultivation of winter rye decreased by seven percent to about 9,000 hectares. Triticale, a wheat-rye hybrid, was contracted for around 10,300 hectares - an increase of five percent. A large share of the cultivated area is again winter rapes with around 100,200 hectares. The cultivation of the oilseed crop therefore decreased slightly by two percent.
- Despite the rain in Southern Thuringia, specifically in the Hildburghausen district and the Rhön region, combine harvesters are yet to be seen in action for the grain harvest of winter barley.
- Agricultural activities in Nordhausen, located in the Altenburger Land region, are currently focused on the grain harvest, following a routine practiced by businesses in Thuringia.
- Thuringian farmers, including those in the Erfurt area, are taking advantage of the warm weather with temperatures up to 26 degrees to harvest their winter barley, while also gathering ripe winter rapes where available.
- Apart from Winterbarley and Winter Wheat, which are extensively cultivated in Thuringia, including in regions such as Unstrut, Hildburghausen, and Nordhausen, Triticale and Winter Rye are also harvested, with varying acreages compared to previous years.
