The amount of vegetables harvested in Germany fell significantly last year, also due to the heat and drought. A total of 3.8 million tons were harvested, twelve percent less than in the record year 2021, as reported by the Federal Statistical Office. That was also two percent less than the average for the years 2016 to 2021. “The reasons for this, in addition to a smaller acreage, were the heat and drought in the summer of 2022,” said the statistics office. In the case of carrots, the harvest volume fell particularly sharply by 19 percent in the past year, with onions there was also an above-average minus of 13 percent. The total acreage for vegetables fell last year by four percent to a good 126,400 hectares. They almost corresponded to the average for the years 2016 to 2021. The German Farmers’ Association warned of cuts in view of the numerous burdens. “The German production of fruit and vegetables, especially in labor-intensive crops, is under acute threat,” said its President Joachim Rukwied. Above all, the minimum wage of twelve euros and national restrictions on plant protection and fertilization burdened the companies. That makes it harder for local farmers to remain competitive. “There is a great danger that even more food will come from abroad,” said Rukwied.
Heat and drought – farmers harvest significantly fewer vegetables – economy
