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6d ago

Germany's Strawberry Season Begins Early as Prices and Costs Surge

Warm spring weather accelerates harvest in top-producing regions, with growers navigating high initial prices and rising production expenses.

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Overview

  • The 2025 strawberry harvest in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and Hessen has started earlier than usual due to a sunny March.
  • Agriculture ministers Silke Gorißen (NRW) and Ingmar Jung (Hessen) marked the season's openings with symbolic visits, including the crowning of Hessen's new Strawberry Queen.
  • Initial wholesale prices for German strawberries averaged €8.19 per kilogram last week, though prices are expected to decline as harvest volumes increase.
  • Producers are facing significantly higher production costs, with labor accounting for 50–60% of expenses, alongside rising energy and material costs.
  • Growers continue investing in protected cultivation methods, such as foil and tunnels, to mitigate weather risks after losses in 2024's rain-soaked season.