Agriculture - Prognosis: Harvested grain in Thuringia will be lower
Thuringia farmers expect a lower grain harvest than the average of the past years. According to a first estimate, approximately 2.2 million tonnes of grain will be harvested, the Statistical Office in Erfurt announced.
This estimation of Thuringia farmers means that the annual harvest of 200,000 tonnes is nine percent below the long-term average. The grain harvest in Thuringia, according to the farmers' association, began in the second week of July this year. Corn and special feed corn were not taken into account in the estimate.
Decrease in cultivated area
A hectare yield of 6.7 tonnes of grain is expected, which is two percent below the long-term average. Grain is grown on around 328,500 hectares this year, which is 7,900 hectares or two percent less than before.
Wheat was again the most important grain type with a cultivated area of 167,900 hectares. A yield of 7.1 tonnes per hectare is forecasted on the level of the long-term average, but seven percent less than in 2023. Around 1.2 million tonnes of wheat could be harvested from the fields. For winter barley, a yield of 12 percent less than in 2023 is expected, resulting in a harvest of roughly 524,000 tonnes.
- Despite the lower projected grain harvest in Thuringia, the agricultural sector in cities like Erfurt still has a significant role in the local prognosis, as they rely on grains as a primary food source.
- The decrease in the cultivated area for grains in Thuringia, totaling around 7,900 hectares, could potentially impact the agrarian economy and the procurement of harvested grain for local agricultural industries.
- Farmers in Erfurt and other parts of Thuringia will need to explore alternative crops or farming methods to ensure continues agriculture sustainability, given the challenging grain harvest prognosis and the reduction in grains, such as wheat and barley, harvested this year.
