Poor strawberry and asparagus harvests in Germany

Germany's strawberry and asparagus harvests are likely to shrink to long-term lows this year due to heavy rainfall and declining acreage under cultivation, reported dpa.

Farmers in Germany are expecting the lowest outdoor strawberry harvest in nearly 30 years, according to an initial preliminary estimate by the Federal Statistical Office.

The authority also expects a sharp decline in asparagus, with the harvest volume likely to be 6% lower than in the previous year, the lowest level since 2013.

The statistical survey suggests farms are expecting a harvest of around 70,000 tons of strawberries from the open field - only slightly more than in 1995, which produced a yield of 68,800 tons.

The current estimated strawberry harvest is therefore almost a quarter (24%) down on the already small 2023 open-field strawberry harvest of 92,700 tons, and a good third below the average for 2018 to 2023. This is due to a significant reduction in acreage and crop failures due to "heavy and sometimes prolonged rain" in growing regions.

Statisticians estimate this year's asparagus harvest at 105,200 tons, which would be the lowest figure for around a decade and 13% less than the average for 2018 to 2023 (120,400 tons).

High rainfall and late frosts have hit yields, the authority says. In addition, many farms have reduced their production areas due to rising inflationary costs and cautious consumers - similar to the situation with strawberries.