German farmers give asparagus and strawberries the ax DW 07/18/2025
Briefly

In 2025, Germany's strawberry and asparagus production hit historic lows, with strawberry harvests at 75,500 tons, marking a 30-year low, and asparagus at 98,900 tons, the smallest yield since 2010. The decline results from a reduction in farmland, with 4% less land for strawberries and 6% for asparagus. Farmers struggle with rising costs, particularly wages, and many growers are stopping production due to unsustainable risks. The self-sufficiency rate for strawberries has dropped from 68% in 2015 to 50% today, indicating a shift in market dynamics.
Preliminary data showed just 75,500 tons of open-field strawberries were harvested, the lowest level in 30 years and 4% below the already low 2024 figures.
The asparagus harvest also hit a 15-year low, with only 98,900 tons collected in open fields, the smallest yield since 2010.
Growers like Georg Merlau... said he had already cut his asparagus acreage from 105 to 80 hectares, citing sizable annual increases in labor costs.
Germany's self-sufficiency in strawberries has fallen sharply, from 68% in 2015 to just 50% today, according to the Agricultural Market Information Company (AMI).
Read at www.dw.com
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