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Red alert: Cicada threatens Bavaria's 2025 potato harvest!
Bavarian potato farmers warn of reed leafhoppers threatening crops. Solutions are being discussed, yields could decline.
Red alert: Cicada threatens Bavaria's 2025 potato harvest!
The Bavarian potato harvest is facing an alarming threat: the reed leafhopper is in full swing and is causing major worry among farmers. Potato farmer Johannes Wittmann is sounding the alarm because this voracious pest transmits the dangerous plant disease Stolbur, which not only causes plants to wilt but also causes rubbery roots and tubers. Yields could collapse by a whopping 50%, which would have catastrophic consequences for the entire industry. Mercury reports that in 2024, cicada infestations were first detected in potatoes in the Ingolstadt area and that almost all Bavarian growing areas are now affected.
The companies in Franconia and the potato farmers in the Regensburg area are particularly struggling with the effects. But the cicada doesn't stop there: sugar beets, onions and beetroot can also be infected. Bavaria's Agriculture Minister Michaela Kaniber sees two ways to contain the spread: refraining from growing winter wheat after harvesting sugar beets or potatoes and emergency approval of pesticides in affected areas.
Cicada control measures
In order to deal with the threat, the Free State of Bavaria is investing in research projects. Two million euros will be spent on this in 2024. However, the situation could drag on for years. Farmers President Joachim Rukwied expects it could take five years or longer to solve the reed leafhopper problem. Despite these concerns, the Bavarian potato harvest is expected to increase slightly to 1.5 million tonnes in 2025, which is positive news given the difficult circumstances.
The area under cultivation for potatoes has increased to around 40,000 hectares, an increase of 3.6% compared to the previous year. But Wittmann sees 2025 as a critical year and expresses fears that it could be the last year with a normal harvest. The Bavarian Farmers' Association (BBV) has already published warning service reports about the fight and is campaigning for solutions at the state and federal levels. The fight includes current measures such as insecticides and fallow crops as well as the development of new cultivation systems and varieties.
Joint efforts and information exchange
The BBV has recognized the importance of a well-coordinated exchange of information between farmers and customers. For this purpose, several information events have already taken place, including an expert panel attended by around 130 people. Crop production president Hermann Greif has written a letter to Minister Kaniber in which he calls for support with emergency approvals and the establishment of a monitoring system. These collective efforts are crucial to protecting affected farmers from loss of yield and quality. Bavarian Farmers' Association Mirror argues that the development of long-term solutions is essential.