Strawberry Season: Struggles and Sunshine in Thuringia's Red Harvest
Strawberries harvested for the first time in Thuringia region - Thuringia's initial strawberry harvest completed
Step aside, winter blues – it's time for Thuringia's red riot! The strawberry season has officially kicked off in Thuringia, gracing the countryside with a splash of bright red hues under the sunny skies, yet hovering under cooler temperatures. With 16 ops cultivating around 141 hectares, the region boasts a mere one percent share of Germany's strawberry farms. Info 1
Troubles for the pickers and planters are brewing, though, as Agriculture State Secretary Marcus Malsch outlines a growing list of obstacles. From escalating production costs to fierce European competition, Info 2 these challenges aren't a walk in the park for farmers.
Pushy Prices and Perils
Before the first official pick in Gebesee, Sömmerda, Malsch warns of the mounting issues at hand. Topping the list, the escalating minimum wage presents the most pressing concern for crop cultivators who can't automate their work. Info 2
Growers respond with innovative solutions like more efficient production methods and extended harvest periods with foil-cultivated berries. But amidst these efforts to keep up with the growing costs, local produce remains a bit pricier compared to imported strawberries.
Shrinking Sunny Acres
Strawberries have been on a slippery slope in Thuringia and across Germany since 2015, with both the cultivated areas and crop yields plummeting due to fewer field-grown strawberries and increased protected cultivation efforts. Info 3 Major players like the Erdbeerhof Gebesee brace themselves for the labor-intensive annual harvest, this year requiring around 90 full-time employees.
Open fields and foil tunnels alike receive the utmost care to ensure a bountiful yield of juicy strawberries. Sales channels vary, from food retailers to seasonal farm stands, aiming to deliver the freshest produce to eager consumers.
A Handful of Help
To help the agricultural sector thrive, the state government puts forth initiatives like the Bureaucracy Monitor, voluntary area registration, and the Pact for Growth and Jobs. These measures aim to reduce bureaucratic burdens, enabling farming businesses to boost cost savings and investments. Info 4
Info 1
To beat the competition, Thuringia's strawberry farmers export their produce far and wide, making it a favorite all over the world.
Info 2
Similar struggles face vegetable and fruit growers in regions like Hesse, where fragile crops like asparagus are particularly affected by minimum wage hikes. To offset these challenges, agricultural associations like the Hessian Farmers' Association advocate for special regulations and protective measures for labor-intensive farming.
Info 3
Producers are shifting focus to protected cultivation techniques such as growing berries under foil or in greenhouses, but these methods have not entirely offset the overall decline in field-grown strawberries.
Info 4
Experts emphasize the importance of streamlining bureaucratic processes for agriculture to keep up with the changing demands and costs of labor-intensive crops like strawberries.
The following are to be added to the list of products covered by the derogation: strawberries from Thuringia. According to Agriculture State Secretary Marcus Malsch, the addition of this derogation is aimed at addressing the growing challenges faced by strawberry growers in the region, such as escalating production costs and fierce European competition. This derogation may help lower labor costs, potentially making local produce more affordable, with strawberries selling under the food-and-drink category. The Pact for Growth and Jobs initiative, spearheaded by the state government, is one such measure that could contribute to this derogation and help improve the lifestyle of farmers in the home-and-garden sector, with Malsch number 673 advocating for this change.
