Overview
- The Federal Statistical Office published preliminary estimates on Monday, July 20 showing Germany’s 2026 open‑field strawberry harvest at about 71,300 tonnes, down 11.3% from 2025 and the lowest since 1995, and the asparagus harvest at about 100,300 tonnes, down 3.4% and the smallest since 2010.
- Open‑field strawberry area fell to 7,830 hectares in 2026, a 2.9% drop from 2025 and 18.5% below the 2020–2025 average, a long‑running trend growers say reflects tighter margins and switching to other crops or protected systems.
- Output varied by state with Lower Saxony expected to supply the largest shares—about 18,100 tonnes of open‑field strawberries (−18.0%) and roughly 21,000 tonnes of asparagus (+5.4%)—while Baden‑Württemberg reported stronger results from protected cultivation.
- Growers reported the season shortened by heat in northern regions, with many roadside stalls closing early, and several producers said covered production and new remontant varieties partly offset open‑field losses this year.
- The published numbers cover mainly open‑field production and are provisional; Destatis will release definitive statistics that include greenhouse and high‑tunnel harvests in spring 2027, and retailers and consumers should expect continued price and supply effects from higher labor and energy costs.