- Rapid Cucumber Harvest Reaches Peak Levels
Following a rough initial phase, the cucumber production in Lower Bavaria is now thriving at full capacity. The weather presented some cause for anxiety for farmers at times. The season commenced in April with chilly and unstable weather, as reported by Patrick Scharl, fruit and horticulture consultant at the Bavarian Farmers' Association (BBV). The summer months then brought heat and occasional rain, prompting satisfactory cucumber crop yields. However, it remains to be seen if the season will also result in financial success. The harvesting period extends until the end of September, contingent upon weather conditions.
Cucumbers grow best under a blend of sunlight, rain, and night temperatures exceeding 15 degrees, Scharl explains. The climate in the spring was challenging due to cold spells.
The massive flooding in Bavaria at the beginning of June had minimal impact on cucumber farmers. Mostly other regions were affected. Nonetheless, fields in Lower Bavaria too were submerged. The farmers managed to drain the water. If fields are submerged for several days, it can lead to root oxygen deficiency and disease spread.
Size is crucial in marketing pickling cucumbers, according to Scharl. Smaller cucumbers, such as Cornichons, require more labor during harvesting for each kilogram. Nevertheless, farmers gain more per kilogram. Larger cucumbers, however, have less competition, for instance, from Turkey.
Harvesting smaller cucumbers permits regular harvesting, but with increased labor demands. Alternatively, farmers can let the cucumbers mature longer and harvest when they're bigger. Scharl advocates for a balance between both methods.
The abundant cucumber yields in Lower Bavaria and other regions this year result in a saturated market. Whether the harvest will also yield sales success by the end of the season is uncertain.
Finding ample seasonal workers is a challenge for farmers, states the BBV expert. Securing adequate seasonal labor has become increasingly challenging. Most of the harvest helpers in the area originate from Romania, Poland, and Moldova.
Lower Bavaria is recognized as Europe's largest continuous cucumber farming region. Among its customers are also major fast-food chains that employ the cucumbers as garnishes for their burgers.
The success of cucumber farmers in Europe's largest continuous cucumber farming region, Lower Bavaria, is attracting interest from major fast-food chains. Despite the challenges posed by unpredictable weather and labor shortages, cucumber production in Lower Bavaria is currently flourishing, contributing significantly to the regional economy.
