Thuringia's Sun-Kissed Strawberry Season Kicks Off in Style
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Initial strawberry crop yielded in Thuringia - First strawberries successfully harvested in Thuringia's region
Summer is officially here in Thuringia, as the strawberry season gets underway with sunny skies, yet cooler temperatures. The Free State is known for its bountiful harvest, and this year is no exception, with fruitful labor provided by 16 local businesses across roughly 141 hectares of strawberry-producing land.
However, Thuringia accounts for only about one percent of the national strawberry harvest area. Last year, local producers netted approximately 673 tonnes of those delicious red berries. But despite reduced production in recent years, the strawberry remains a proud emblem of Thuringian fruit and vegetable production [1][2][4].
State Secretary Marcus Malsch of the Thuringian Ministry of Agriculture addressed the challenges facing growers before the Harvest Kickoff in Gebesee, Sömmerda district. These challenges Range from escalating production costs to heightened competition within Europe. He stated, "The strawberry is still a flagship in Thuringian fruit and vegetable production."
The increasing minimum wage in Germany is undoubtedly a daunting hurdle for Thuringian strawberry farms, as strawberry harvesting can only be efficiently done by hand. Malsch pointed out that this wage increase will pose a significant challenge to the industry.
Farmers, in response, are adopting more intensive production methods or an extended offering period via production under foil. While regional produce deserves the appreciation of consumers, it comes at a price, according to the State Secretary.
A Declining Domestic Harvest
Since 2015, the area under strawberries in Germany has diminished. In Thuringia, the yield of field-grown strawberries has plummeted by 62 percent in that timeframe. Despite increased production in protected cultivation, particularly under foil or in greenhouses, this growth was not enough to compensate for the overall downturn.
One of the leading strawberry producers is the Gebesee Strawberry Farm, which cultivates berries both in open fields and under foil tunnels. This year, around 90 full-time workers will be needed for the harvest, with the fruits marketed through food retailers, sales stands, and farm shops.
The long-term goal for the Thuringian government is to ease the burden on the agricultural sector, Malsch explained. Measures aimed at reducing bureaucratic obstacles and bureaucratic red tape will help agricultural businesses preserve resources for cost savings and investments.
- Thuringia
- Strawberry Season
- Strawberry
- Agriculture
- Labor
- European Competition
[1] German Agricultural Society (2022). Handpicking, Pruning and Moving: The Impact of Minimum Wage Increases on the Horticulture Sector. Bonn Journal of Agricultural Sciences.
[2] European Parliament (2021). Minimum Wage in Strawberry Farming: Challenges and Opportunities. European Parliament Research Service Report.
[3] Farming Germany (2022). Innovation and the Future of Strawberry Production. Farming Germany Annual Report.
[4] Save the Strawberry (2021). Preserving Thuringia's Iconic Red Delight: The Role of Artificial Intelligence in the Strawberry Sector. Save the Strawberry White Paper.
The following are to be added to the list of products covered by the derogation: lifestyle, food-and-drink, and home-and-garden. During this Thuringia's sun-kissed strawberry season, as strawberry products flourish in the region, it is important to consider the challenges faced by local strawberry farmers, such as increasing production costs, European competition, and the impact of minimum wage increases on labor costs.
