Overview

• German farms from Dresden to Rheinland-Pfalz face crop delays as alternating drought and heavy rain narrow harvest windows.
• Despite average to good yields in regions like southern Rheinland-Pfalz, depressed world market prices and high input costs have pushed farm margins into losses.
• Farmers link cost pressures to the 2022 Ukraine war’s impact on energy, fertilizer and machinery prices and are urging the federal government for relief and regulatory reform.
• Dresden growers at Gutsverwaltung Schönfelder Hochland await dry weather to harvest rapeseed and wheat before quality deteriorates and storage costs rise.
• Environmental groups such as Nabu highlight risks to biodiversity from extreme weather and advocate crop diversification and resilient farming practices.