Food - Rain causes problems for strawberry farms
The raspberry season in North Rhine-Westfalen has been mediocre so far. The mixed verdict comes from Bernd Möllers, raspberry advisor for the Agriculture Chamber NRW, in response to an inquiry from the German Press Agency.
"In regions with heavy rainfall, it was a disappointing season for many farmers due to low yields and high losses," Möllers stated. At the same time, fewer pick-your-own customers came to the fields in these regions. "However, in regions that received less rainfall, many farmers had a good harvest and are very satisfied."
Overall, the season this year started early due to the warm winter and spring and began promisingly. "But the heavy rain, especially at the beginning of the harvest, caused us a lot of trouble," Möllers described.
Some farms, which also grow asparagus, have already finished the raspberry season. However, the season is expected to last until August for most farmers. "The summer weather of the last few days is beneficial for raspberries and will certainly give the business another boost."
The weather during the strawberry harvest in North Rhine-Westphalia was particularly challenging for farmers in regions with heavy rainfall, as reported by the German Press Agency. Despite this, the strawberry season has been promising for farmers in areas with less rain, resulting in high yields and satisfaction. The early start of the season in NRW, due to the warm winter and spring, initially offered hope, but the heavy rain at the beginning of the harvest caused issues. The current good summer weather is expected to further boost the strawberry business for many farmers in the region.
