In the early summer it was dry for a long time, then frequent rain slowed down the combine harvesters again and again. Industry and politics are adjusting to the fact that food production is becoming more difficult.
Federal Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir sees increasing climate risks for harvests in Germany as well. Agriculture has always been an outdoor economy, and the farms can deal with fluctuations in the weather, says the Green politician when presenting the first official data on the 2023 harvest.
“But the new normal looks different: Extreme weather as a result of the climate crisis is increasingly making our harvests a lottery game.” This can be seen in long periods of heat and droughts as well as in storms with rain, hail and storms. Businesses are increasingly having to deal with this.
Looking at the expected results for this summer, Özdemir says: “All in all, we can be satisfied with the harvest.” According to the first preliminary data, 38 million tons of grain (excluding grain maize) should come in – 4.1 percent less than in the previous year and 2.1 percent less than the multi-year average.
Özdemir says that the farmers have done great things in the past few weeks and have ensured that the storage facilities in Germany are well filled overall – although the farms have had to contend with sometimes enormous weather challenges depending on the region and crop.
The German Farmers’ Association had described the 2023 harvest as a “real nail-biter” last week and also reported a decline in grain quantities in a preliminary balance sheet. A wet spring was followed by a long period of drought in May and June, and the harvest was then often interrupted by rain. In view of the clearly noticeable effects of climate change, everything must be done to be able to secure yields and food, the association emphasizes. These included more resilient plants, a wide range of active plant protection ingredients and water-saving tillage.
Areas must be used in a way that is compatible with nature
Özdemir said it was important to make agriculture climate-proof. Anyone who believes that climate protection and climate change adaptation can be started later is not representing the interests of the industry. “Short-term maximization of harvests is at the expense of our natural resources and thus jeopardizes security of supply in the long term.” The Nature Conservation Union (Nabu) explained that this year’s rainy summer shows the other face of the climate crisis, which poses challenges to food production. It is all the more important to use agricultural land in an environmentally friendly manner and thus make it more resistant to drought and heavy rain, for example with humus-rich soil and flowering strips.
Özdemir said: “Food prices remain an inflation driver. Especially where production costs are high due to expensive energy or operating resources.” The industry is therefore being supported in making itself less dependent on synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. “Investing in climate-proof agriculture makes us less dependent on volatile world markets and makes more sense and is cheaper than compensating for damage.”
Source: Stern
