What is the reason for this state of affairs? The weather. Specifically, excessive rainfall, which contributed to reduced productivity, but also grain quality.
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Low grain harvest in Germany
As reported by the German service Argarheute, the farmers' association DBV is sounding the alarm. Poor harvests, high price pressure and strict legal requirements are a threat to the competitiveness of agriculture.
According to their data, there will be less not only wheat, but also other types. The harvest of our western neighbors is expected to amount to 39.3 million tons of grain this year. For comparison, last year's grain harvest was estimated at about 42 million tons.
According to DBV data, both the yield and, in some cases, the quality of the crop have suffered due to repeated and sometimes very heavy rainfall.
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Difficult price situation
DBV CEO Joachim Rukwied also commented on the difficult market situation in Argarheute. Specifically, low prices.
– The extreme drop in prices, especially in grain markets, is putting us farmers in huge trouble. Combined with the high costs, grain cultivation in Germany is almost unprofitable at the current price level – the president is quoted by the service.
It turns out that the grain has a low protein content, so a large part of it will not meet the requirements of a grain for consumption, but for feed, and this will automatically affect the price. It will be lower.
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Germany's worst grain harvest in years
Less wheat in Germany
According to current DBV data, wheat harvests are smaller and amount to 18 million tonnes. Last year they were at the level of 21.2 million tonnes.
– Due to unfavourable weather conditions during autumn sowing, the area under winter wheat cultivation decreased this year by around 330 thousand ha, which is one of the reasons for the low harvest. However, the further decline in yields per hectare also reflects the downward trend in winter wheat cultivation – according to data from Agrarheute.
Winter barley harvests in Germany are also lower and amount to 8.9 million tonnes, compared to 9.5 million tonnes last year.
Rapeseed was also harvested less. This year about 3.7 million tons, and last year 3.9 million tons.
