Overview
- Wheat has entered emergency ripening after a hot, dry June and growers have begun harvesting earlier than the long-term average, experts said on July 16, 2026.
- The early ripening reduced grain formation and is expected to lower wheat and rye yields when final measurements are made.
- Barley harvest finished largely unscathed, while maize shows mixed outcomes with some fields coping and others clearly water-stressed.
- Farmers can irrigate potatoes and vegetables but rising fuel and water costs make irrigation expensive and add pressure because potato prices are currently low.
- Conditions vary sharply across the state, with the Rhineland especially dry, and authorities say only a prolonged, even rain would materially ease crop losses and the financial strain on farmers.