Statisticians expect the worst strawberry harvest since 1995
Heavy rainfalls and a decrease in cultivated area result in a particularly weak strawberry season this year. According to the Federal Statistical Office, the harvest is expected to be even smaller than in the weak previous year. The same trend is observable for asparagus.
The strawberry harvest in this year is expected to be as poor as it has been for a long time, according to initial estimates. The farmers are forecasting a wild harvest of approximately 70,000 tons, according to the Federal Statistical Office. This would be the poorest harvest since 1995, 24% less than the already weak previous year, and 34% less than the average of the years 2018 to 2023.
The reasons for this, according to statisticians, are on the one hand a significant decrease in cultivated area by 13%, to around 8,100 hectares. "Additionally, there were harvest losses in some regions due to heavy and persistent rainfalls," they explained. The main strawberry-growing states are Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Baden-Württemberg.
The same trends are also observable for asparagus, albeit to a lesser extent: The harvest is expected to be 6% lower than in the previous year, at 105,200 tons, and 13% lower than the average of the five previous years. The cultivated area decreased by 4%, to 19,600 hectares. "The early harvest in this year was significantly affected by heavy rainfalls and late frosts," the statisticians explained. The main asparagus-growing states are Lower Saxony, Brandenburg, and North Rhine-Westphalia.
Both for strawberries and asparagus, rising production costs and inflation are becoming apparent. They are driving up prices, which, combined with inflation in other areas, leads to a decrease in demand for the relatively expensive vegetables and fruit. The farmers are responding with a reduction in cultivated areas.
Due to the decrease in cultivated areas by 13% in major strawberry-producing regions like Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Baden-Württemberg, Germany, the strawberry harvest is anticipated to be the poorest since 1995, according to the Federal Statistical Office. Similarly, the asparagus harvest in Germany is projected to decrease by 6% this year, with Lower Saxony, Brandenburg, and North Rhine-Westphalia experiencing harvest losses due to heavy rainfalls and late frosts, as reported by the Federal Statistical Office.
