Sour cucumbers - Growing pickling cucumbers "expensive and unattractive"
Baden-Württemberg Farmers Cultivate Fewer Pickling Cucumbers
According to the Agriculture Ministry in Stuttgart, the cultivated area for pickling cucumbers in Baden-Württemberg has shrunk significantly in recent years. In 2023, approximately 116 hectares were used to grow pickling cucumbers in the southwest, resulting in an harvest of about 9,600 tons, as reported by the ministry, citing the Statistical Office. In contrast, in 2014, the area was around 170 hectares, with a harvest of approximately 13,700 tons.
This trend is not limited to the southwest, as information from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture reveals. Nationwide, pickling cucumbers were grown on approximately 1,880 hectares in the open field in 2023. Although this area was larger than in the previous year, it was still below the 2,020 hectares from 2018. The number of farms also decreased: in 2018, there were reportedly 315 farms growing pickling cucumbers in the open field, while in 2023, the number had dropped to 250 farms.
Hard work in a cucumber basket
Katja Behringer, spokesperson for the Swabian company Hengstenberg, explained that a lot of manual labor goes into growing cucumbers in Germany. The harvest helpers pick the cucumbers by hand while lying down on the wings of the vehicles, known as cucumber flyers.
Additionally, extreme weather conditions, drought, and heat can negatively impact the cucumber plant. "She likes it continuously wet and warm, but not too hot," Behringer said. At temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius, the cucumber plant stops growing. "Moreover, cucumbers grow at night, and only at temperatures above 15 degrees," she added. In warm nights, cucumbers can grow up to three centimeters longer. In many cases, the cultivation areas must be intensively irrigated to create the optimal conditions.
"These factors make cultivation expensive and unattractive," Behringer summarized. The cost increase is in the double-digit range. The competition for seasonal labor also complicates the situation.
Rising prices
According to the Agricultural Market Information Company, consumer prices for pickling cucumber preserves have risen in recent years. In 2013, pickling cucumber preserves in a 720-milliliter jar reportedly cost an average of 1.30 Euro. In 2019, the average price was 1.56 Euro, and by 2023, it had risen to 2.11 Euro. The Federal Agriculture Ministry reported that the prices for pickling cucumber preserves have risen more than the average food prices over the past four years.
- Despite the rising prices of pickling cucumber preserves, the minimum wage in Germany might make it challenging for farmers in Esslingen and Baden-Württemberg to maintain their cultivation of pickling cucumbers, given the manual labor intensive process.
- The decrease in cultivated area for pickling cucumbers in Baden-Württemberg, from 170 hectares in 2014 to 116 hectares in 2023, may have implications on the food and drink industry, including the availability of raw materials for canned pickles and related products.
- The BMELV (Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture) might consider innovative solutions, such as the cultivation of pickling cucumbers in greenhouses or the use of robotics for manual labor, to make pickling cucumber cultivation more economically viable and attractive in Esslingen and other regions in Baden-Württemberg.
- Food enthusiasts in Stuttgart and Baden-Württemberg could argue that the reduction in cultivated pickling cucumber area could potentially have an impact on the regional delicacy, such as sourkraut, which is often made with pickling cucumbers and served with sausages.
- To maintain the essential contribution of pickling cucumbers to the Neckar region's food culture and$_$ agricultural economy, policymakers and stakeholders must collaborate to address the challenges associated with pickling cucumber cultivation, such as extreme weather conditions, competition for labor, and cost increase.
