Tight harvests in Brandenburg: strawberries and asparagus are falling behind!

Tight harvests in Brandenburg: strawberries and asparagus are falling behind!

Agriculture in Germany looks back on the 2023 harvest season with mixed feelings. The current figures for strawberry and asparagus harvests are a sign of growing challenges. The decline in yields and acreage is worrying - not only for farmers, but also for lovers of these popular fruits.

The situation is particularly alarming in Brandenburg. In 2023, just 640 tons of strawberries were harvested here, the lowest harvest since 1991. Compared to the previous year, when there were 760 tons, there is a significant decrease, which is due to the reduced cultivation area. The late frost at the beginning of May also had a devastating impact on flower formation. This year, outdoor strawberries were grown on only 118 hectares, a decrease of 24 percent compared to 156 hectares last year. Just for comparison: in 2017 there were still over 530 hectares, as rbb24.de reported.

Although the yield per hectare has improved slightly and is around 55 decitons - an increase of four decitons compared to 2022 - the overall harvest is still alarmingly low in a Germany-wide comparison. Around 75,500 tonnes were harvested nationwide, the lowest amount in 30 years, a decrease of 4 percent compared to the previous year. The harvest is also severely affected in other federal states such as Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Württemberg, with persistent rain even causing failures in some regions, such as Spiegel.de analyzed.

Asparagus harvest also affected

But not only strawberries have suffered, the asparagus harvest in Germany has also declined. In 2023, the asparagus harvest amounted to 98,900 tons, which means a decrease of 9 percent compared to the previous year and is the lowest amount since 2010. In Brandenburg, 18,700 tons of asparagus were harvested, which also means a decrease of 1,500 tons compared to 2022. The cultivated area fell to around 3,400 hectares, a loss of almost 160 hectares, as rbb24.de notes.

Production conditions were initially favorable as the harvest window was longer due to an early start to the season. Jürgen Jakobs, chairman of the Beelitz Asparagus Association, expressed his satisfaction despite the decline: “The year was reasonable for the asparagus farmers.” However, the question remains as to how long such returns can be sustained given rising operating costs and inflation. These factors lead to higher prices for fruit and vegetables and at the same time reduce demand, which has a negative impact on cultivated areas, as Zeit.de reports.

Overall, the situation remains tense and local farmers are struggling with challenges that go far beyond the forces of nature. The question is what strategies they can develop to secure future harvests and whether consumers will have to prepare for more expensive prices.