Too little rain falls. The drought is reducing crop yields. But the prospects are not gloomy everywhere.
The farmers are facing a below-average harvest this summer – with regional differences.
“All in all, it is too dry in many parts of Germany. Ultimately, this also means that we will have a smaller harvest for the second year in a row,” said the President of the German Farmers’ Association, Joachim Rukwied, at the start of the harvest in Dahme/Mark in Brandenburg.
3 percent below last year’s result
According to him, the German Farmers’ Association (DBV) expects a grain harvest of around 41.2 million tons. The forecasts are 3 percent below the previous year’s result. It was 42.3 million tons. Harvest yields from 2015 to 2020 were even higher, averaging 44.2 million tons.
In large parts of the country, less rain fell than usual, and the water reserves in the ground are still far too low. Contrary to the trend, some farms also expected a good harvest, said Rukwied. The further course of the weather in the summer months is decisive for the autumn crops.
The prospects are “another piece of the jigsaw puzzle of negative events,” said Rukwied, referring to forecast smaller crop yields in Europe and internationally important growing areas such as the United States. The food situation is tense globally, also because of the energy crisis.
Agriculture needs gas
The farmers’ president was concerned about the political decision by Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens) to declare the second alarm level for gas. Agriculture in particular is dependent on gas as the main source of energy. “We need gas for the production of nitrogen fertilizer.” If this were missing, the crop yields would collapse significantly, the farmer president warned. Yields could drop to as much as 40 percent. He called for gas to be prioritized for the entire food sector.
Source: Stern
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
