Start of the season in the field – The great fear for the necessary harvest helpers is back

Spring sows a lot of worries among farmers: high fertilizer costs are putting pressure on them, drought is on the horizon and they tremble for seasonal workers. All this overshadows the start. into the growing season.

Our farmers are under pressure. “Due to the gas crisis, the European nitrogen fertilizer industry came to a standstill in the middle of last year. Farmers had to pay more than 1,000 euros per tonne for fertilizer and often had to wait months for their delivery,” says Franz Waldenberger, President of the Upper Austrian Regional Council, summing up the difficult situation. Prices for wheat (-38%) or rapeseed (-43%) on the other hand, the trend could continue this year, Waldenberger fears. Nevertheless, the cultivation of grain, corn and sugar beet is started with confidence. There is still enough water in the ground. But: “The warm winter temperatures and lack of snow ensure high evaporation rates,” says Helmut Feitzlmayr, expert LK Upper Austria; Drought could set in soon.More and more hands neededThe vegetable and fruit farmers, on the other hand, tremble for their harvest helpers. “We’ll only make it if the Ukrainians who saved us last year come back,” says Stefan Hamedinger, spokesman for the fruit and vegetable producers in Upper Austria. Around 1,800 Ukrainians are needed. In total, around 5,000 helpers will be needed for all sectors – from asparagus to wine – and the trend is rising: “The trade wants more organic goods. Because the areas are cleared of weeds by hand, we need more and more people.” The asparagus season will start soon, namely on April 17th.
source site-12