Dry times: Franconian cherry harvest in danger - rain is urgently needed!

Dry times: Franconian cherry harvest in danger - rain is urgently needed!

Fränkische Schweiz, Deutschland - The continuing drought this year poses major challenges for the Franconian cherry farmers. The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reports that the weeks without any significant rain lead to lower yields and are particularly worth producing on the market. Jonas Maußner, the head of the Franconian Switzerland fruit information center, names water for growth until mid-June. Many farmers are forced to manually water their cherry trees to prevent the impending harvest losses.

The lack of precipitation could not only lead to the fruits remain smaller, but also that fruits are dropped, which further reduces the harvest. Despite the unfavorable weather conditions, little was affected by frost damage and pests in 2024, which is a fluctuating factor in the otherwise weather -prone cherry harvest.

meaning of irrigation

irrigation is becoming increasingly important for the cherry farmers in Franconia. fruit and wine explains that an optimal irrigation strategy can minimize the growth stop of the drives and the influence of poor weather conditions. In particular, the combination of irrigation with finishing, i.e. fertilization via the irrigation system, can be crucial in critical times. Innovative techniques, such as computer -controlled irrigation and the use of drainage water from hall roofs, contribute to efficiency.

sub -crown covers can also help to avoid frost damage because they improve the ground conditions. Nevertheless, there is no general recipe for perfect irrigation, since many regional conditions and climatic factors have to be taken into account.

cultivation and market conditions

In 2024, around 7,200 hectares were cultivated with cherries in Germany, which makes 16% of the total paving area. agriculture.de calls the largest cultivation areas: Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Bavaria and Thuringia, with a crop of around 38,000 tons for sweet and sour cherries. The main variety is the sweet cherry, of which around 5,700 hectares are grown, while sour cherries thrive on about 1,500 hectares.

The unclear price development for cherries in summer strongly depends on the international market situation. Many cherries are imported from Turkey, which intensifies competition on the German market. This presents the Franconian cherry farmers with further challenges, since the quality and size of the fruits are crucial for the sales price.

cherries have a short shelf life and are mainly sold as fresh goods. The harvest usually takes place manually, with the early varieties at the end of May and the later varieties in August. Patterns from pests and weather influences make cherry growing demanding, which is why effective strategies for combating pests and diseases are essential.