Heavy rainfall and shrinking cultivation areas have resulted in the smallest outdoor strawberry harvest in almost 30 years. Asparagus is also expected to be at a low point. Inflation is playing a role.
Due to heavy rainfall and shrinking cultivation areas, the strawberry and asparagus harvest in 2024 is likely to shrink to long-term lows. Farmers in Germany are expecting the lowest outdoor strawberry harvest since 1995, the Federal Statistical Office announced in a first preliminary estimate. The authority is also expecting a sharp decline in asparagus: the harvest volume is likely to be six percent lower than last year, making it the lowest since 2013.
Bad weather and cautious consumers
According to the statisticians’ survey, the farms are expecting a harvest of around 70,000 tonnes of strawberries in the open field – only slightly more than in 1995 (68,800 tonnes). The currently estimated strawberry harvest is therefore almost a quarter (24 percent) below the already small 2023 open-field strawberry harvest of 92,700 tonnes and a good third below the average for the years 2018 to 2023. The reason for this is a significantly reduced area under cultivation and crop failures due to “heavy and sometimes prolonged rain” in growing regions.
Late frosts hit asparagus
Statisticians estimate the asparagus harvest this year at 105,200 tonnes, the lowest figure in about a decade and probably 13 percent less than the average for the years 2018 to 2023 (120,400 tonnes).
Heavy rainfall and late frosts have reduced the harvest, which started very early this year, the authority explained. In addition, many companies have reduced their production areas due to rising costs in inflation and cautious consumers – similar to the situation with strawberries.
Source: Stern
