Less income for farmers
Strawberry and asparagus harvest fell sharply
07/20/2023 10:51 am
2023 looks set to be the worst strawberry and asparagus harvest year in a long time. Almost 15,000 tons of strawberries are missing compared to last year. In the case of asparagus, it is even around 20,000 tons compared to previous years.
The strawberry and asparagus harvest in Germany in 2023 is expected to be worse than it has been for many years. According to initial estimates, farms are expecting strawberries to be harvested outdoors at around 84,700 tons, the lowest since 1998, according to the Federal Statistical Office. The asparagus harvest is estimated at 105,700 tons, which would be the lowest harvest since 2013.
The Wiesbaden statisticians cite falling demand in view of the general rise in prices and the cool weather in spring as reasons for the development, which is why the harvest sometimes started later than usual. According to preliminary figures, the volume of strawberries would be 14 percent below the already relatively poor harvest year 2022 with 98,500 tons. According to the Federal Office, between 2017 and 2022 an average of almost a quarter more red fruit was picked in fields in Germany than this year.
However, in 2023, given the relatively cost-intensive domestic production, the farms also reduced the acreage for outdoor strawberries by seven percent compared to the previous year to around 9,200 hectares. This is also the lowest value since 1998.
The area under cultivation was also reduced for asparagus – by four percent compared to the previous year to 20,500 hectares. The expected harvest volume of the noble vegetable in the current year is 4 percent below the value of 2022 and 15 percent below the average for the years 2017 to 2022 of 123,600 tons.