Harvest statistics: strawberries and asparagus from Germany soon too expensive?

Strawberries and asparagus from domestic fields could soon become too expensive for consumers in Germany. Currently, mini harvests in both cultures have been brought in the field – with a reduced acreage, as reported by the Federal Statistical Office on the basis of first estimates. The most important reason is that the extension is no longer worthwhile for many farmers because they cannot completely pass on the high costs to consumers via prices.

With 75,500 tons, the slightest harvest has been emerging for 30 years. That is 4 percent less than the already small amount from the previous year. The long -term mean is missed by around a quarter. The situation is similar with the open-air asparagus: 98,900 tons mean the lowest value since 2010.

Almost 10 euros for a kilo of asparagus

As asparagus and strawberries are part of the spring for many people in Germany, but are becoming increasingly luxury. According to the surveys of the Agrarmarkt Information Society (AMI), private consumers had to pay an average of 9.63 euros for white German asparagus this season, around 4 percent more than a year earlier. In the high season between May and mid -July, the kilogram of domestic strawberries cost only slightly more than a year earlier at 6.86 euros (6.83 euros). But the comparison to 2015 shows a price increase of around 70 percent.

Conscious decision by farmers

The shorter offer is based on conscious decisions by farmers who have reduced their acreage in the current year. Four percent less fields for strawberries and six percent less for asparagus are in the long-term shrink trend. According to AMI, the German self -care degree among strawberries has dropped from 68 percent to 50 percent since 2015.

In contrast, there is only the trend towards cultivation in greenhouses or under high protective covers. The berries can be picked while standing and it is dry and clean, says Michael Koch from the Ami. With the longer season and the simpler harvest, the yields per hectare are significantly higher.

Appropriate prices only in the farm shop

Asparagus builder Georg Merlau from Darmstadt has now reduced its acreage from 105 to 80 hectares. Personnel costs for his harvest helpers have recently increased by 10 percent every year, says the farmer. He increasingly only get rid of his goods via premium sales channels such as his own farm shop at reasonable prices. The deliveries to the cooperative, which supplies trade, on the other hand, are getting smaller. “And that will go on like this too.”

High advance performance increases the risk

Hesse’s peasant president Karsten Schmal indicates the high entrepreneurial risk if the farmers have to go into high preliminary work for asparagus and strawberries, but not least depend heavily on the weather. “At the end of the day we are all entrepreneurs. The asparagus and strawberry farmers also have to be able to live on what they do. And if the risk is no longer overview, you no longer build these cultures.”

The President of the German Farmers’ Association, Joachim Rukwied, denounces the statutory minimum wage, which is to increase from currently EUR 12.82 to 13.90 euros in the next year and from 2027 to 14.60 euros. Rukwied says: “If the minimum wage continues to rise, we simply can no longer keep up in the competition.”

Farmers’ association: Less domestic fruit and vegetables

The Federal Government rejected the required exception for agricultural companies with a reduction in the minimum wage for seasonal work to 80 percent. The farmers’ president warns: “Due to the increased minimum wage, the acreage has already decreased significantly in recent years. This development will strengthen. Numerous companies will set production in Germany in fruit, vegetable and viticulture.” The production will move even further abroad and more will be imported.

The union IG Building Agrar Environment accuses the farmers of the farmers: The prophecy fall of the German economy failed to fail after the minimum wage was introduced in 2015, notes board member Christian Beck. In addition, the level of self -care for fruit and vegetables has remained stable in agriculture in the past ten years. Beck indicates the minimum wage in the Netherlands with 14.40 euros. “There too, the companies operate profitably and export fruit to Germany.”