- Reduced income for farmers due to heavy rain
Heavy rainfall could trim the earnings of Thuringian farmers during the wheat harvest. "The wheat that's still out there is no longer bread wheat," said Klaus Wagner, president of the Thuringian Farmers' Association, in response to a query in Erfurt. He said it's probably only suitable for animal feed now. "That brings in significantly less money," Wagner added.
Crops flattened
According to Wagner, the wheat harvest has been largely completed in the Thuringian Basin, the largest cultivation area. However, this is not the case everywhere else in the state. Thuringia experienced very heavy rainfall on Friday. In some fields, the crops were flattened by the rain.
In any case, Thuringian farmers are expecting a lower wheat harvest than the average of recent years. According to an initial forecast, around 2.2 million tonnes of wheat will be harvested, the Statistical Office in Erfurt reported. An estimate by agricultural businesses suggests that a hectare yield of 6.7 tonnes, two percent below the long-term average, is expected.
This year, wheat is growing on around 328,500 hectares, which is 7,900 hectares or two percent less than before. The main wheat crop in the state is winter wheat, with a cultivation area of 167,900 hectares.
The heavy rainfall on Friday flattened some crops in various parts of Thuringia, potentially affecting their quality and value. Due to this unexpected weather, the overall earnings of Thuringian farmers from wheat could be substantially reduced.
