- Less strawberries harvested in Lower Saxony
The strawberry harvest in Lower Saxony this season has been worse than last year. This could be due to poor weather and labor shortages, according to the State Office for Statistics in Lower Saxony (LSN). This year, around 27,000 tons of strawberries are expected to be harvested - about 16.3% less than in 2023. Despite the decrease, Lower Saxony remains by far the federal state with the largest domestic strawberry production. These numbers are still preliminary.
In addition to the harvest yields, the area for open-field cultivation has also decreased. According to the LSN, around 22,200 tons of strawberries were picked on approximately 2,000 hectares of open-field land in Lower Saxony this year, a decrease of about 16%.
To become less dependent on the weather, farmers are increasingly using protective covers. The area for this type of cultivation has been expanded by an additional 8% this season to a total of 247 hectares. According to the Federal Statistical Office, agricultural businesses nationwide are expecting the lowest open-field strawberry harvest since 1995. The currently estimated strawberry harvest in open fields in Germany is 24% lower than the already low strawberry harvest of 2023.
Despite the decrease in overall strawberry harvest, farmers in Lower Saxony managed to harvest around 27,000 tons of 'Harvested strawberries' this season, a significant drop compared to the 32,000 tons from 2023. With the use of protective covers, the area for this type of cultivation has increased, leading to the harvest of 'Harvested strawberries' from an additional 2,000 square meters this season.
