The pumpkin harvest in Bavaria could be better this year than last year. Due to the high rainfall, the fruits are likely to be larger and heavier, forecast horticultural expert Michael Koch from the Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft (AMI) based in Bonn. However, the damp conditions caused more diseases on the plants, so that some of the foliage died prematurely. The bottom line is that a better yield can be expected. According to the Bavarian Farmers’ Association in Munich, Hokkaido pumpkins are already being harvested in some regions. However, the large-scale harvest will only begin in the next two weeks, said AMI expert Koch. In addition to Hokkaido, butternut is one of the most widely grown pumpkins in the Free State. This would be followed by specialties such as the spaghetti squash, the muscat squash or the yellow and red hundredweight.
According to Koch, Bavaria is the largest pumpkin growing area in Germany. In the Free State, the area under cultivation was again significantly increased last year. According to AMI, pumpkins were grown on 1,248 hectares in 2020, compared with 1,023 hectares the previous year. According to this, 367 companies are growing pumpkins. Baden-Württemberg and North Rhine-Westphalia are also important growing countries.
As reasons for the increased cultivation area and higher demand, Koch cited the increased marketing of the fruit in discount stores, but also the increased use of pumpkins in cooking programs or by influencers on the Internet. The fact that consumers are increasingly placing value on regional and seasonal products also plays a role. Pumpkins are also popular ingredients for baby food.