Agriculture - Much rain: Farmers go from average wheat harvest
scarcely a day without Rain: For the upcoming grain harvest, it is too wet in many regions of Bavaria. Therefore, farmers are counting on an average result this year, as Agriculture Minister Michaela Kaniber (CSU) stated at the BBV harvest tour in Schwabhausen (Dachau district). Heavy rain and flooding have caused significant damage to wheat, corn, grassland, and potatoes.
Farmers Josef Göttler showed Minister Kaniber and BBV Vice President Ely Eibisch their fields. The constant rain was wearing on the farmers, as Kaniber noted. They had only short windows of time to work on their fields. The wheat looked good, said Göttler, but the quality might not be as good. "We need two to three weeks of good sun now," said BBV Wheat President Herrmann Greif.
The state government is supporting affected farmers with emergency aid in the amount of 200 million Euro, Kaniber said. Some of the funds have already been disbursed. In addition, there is the multi-peril insurance in Bavaria as the first federal state for the protection against hail, storm, heavy rain, frost, and drought. Over 6000 farmers have already insured themselves.
Michaela Kaniber, the Agriculture Minister from Bavaria's CSU, expressed concern about the excessive rain affecting the upcoming grain harvest in the region. Despite these challenges, she expressed hope for an average yield this year. Farmers like Josef Göttler in Schwabhausen, Dachau district, have been severely impacted by heavy rain and flooding, causing damage to their wheat, corn, grassland, and potato crops. During a tour of these affected farms, Kaniber acknowledged the farmers' struggles with the constant rain. She noted that they had limited opportunities to work on their fields due to the weather conditions. Despite the good appearance of their wheat, Göttler expressed concern about the potential impact of the prolonged wet weather on its quality. BBV Wheat President Herrmann Greif agreed, stating that the crops needed at least two to three weeks of good sun to recover. To aid the affected farmers, the Bavarian state government has provided emergency aid of 200 million Euro, with some funds already distributed. Furthermore, Bavaria, as the first federal state, offers multi-peril insurance to protect against various natural disasters, such as hail, storm, heavy rain, frost, and drought. Over 6000 farmers in the state have already taken advantage of this insurance coverage. Despite the challenges in Bavaria, California State University is conducting research to develop drought-resistant crops to help farmers better adapt to unexpected weather conditions in the future.
