Hail damage: Strawberry harvest in Trier halved – farmers massively affected!

Hail damage: Strawberry harvest in Trier halved – farmers massively affected!

The strawberry harvest season has brought bitter setbacks for many in the Trier region this time. Two weeks ago, a hailstorm hit the fields, severely damaging not only the plants but also the hopes of fruit growers. Alexander Briesch from Bekond, who cultivates around 100,000 strawberry plants on an impressive two hectares, lost an estimated half of his harvest - a financial loss of around 70,000 euros. He had already suffered significant losses due to frost the previous year. As SWR reports, the hail damage led to holes and bruises in the berries, which drastically increased the sorting rate.

“The strawberry harvest started in May and is actually supposed to last until the beginning of July,” said Briesch, who expects to keep his business going despite the adversities. He sells the strawberries mainly to regional supermarkets, through his farm shop and at sales stands. To cushion the loss, he buys strawberries from farmer friends and plans to designate his damaged field as a self-pick field. In addition, the income from the apple harvest and viticulture helps him to mitigate the financial losses.

Climate change and extreme weather

The increase in such extreme weather events, be it hail or heavy rain, is not just a regional phenomenon. According to a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, such weather extremes are becoming more common around the world as a result of rising temperatures and climate change. The earth's surface temperature is rising faster than ever before, increasing the likelihood of extreme weather events - a circumstance that fruit growers in Germany are also feeling the effects of. These findings are also expressed by WWF, which emphasizes the urgent need to take action against the climate crisis.

The increasing weather extremes are making things uncomfortable for farmers. The weather conditions are putting them under pressure because many of them have to think about how they can protect themselves from further damage. Agricultural scientists have also discovered that nature not only changes the rules of the game, but also influences the economics of cultivation and harvesting. That's why more and more fruit growers are turning to strawberry tunnels, even though these are associated with higher costs and more work. Briesch has already installed five such tunnels and plans to build more in the near future to minimize his risk.

Price development and economic outlook

The current climatic challenges and the associated higher production costs are also reflected in prices. Compared to five years ago, when it was around 3.50 euros, a bowl of strawberries now costs around 5.50 euros for 500 grams. In order to do justice to the increased prices caused by the new minimum wage of 12.82 euros per hour, Briesch plans to increase prices again next year. In 2024, there were 85 companies in Rhineland-Palatinate growing strawberries on a total of around 440 hectares, and around 4,700 tons were harvested in the previous year, a number that decreases each season as more extreme weather conditions threaten their harvest.

The region's fruit growers are making it their mission to address the challenges of climate change through innovation and adaptation. While the pressure of the changeable weather is palpable, it is hoped that a love of farming and nature will foster the courage and resilience needed in these challenging times. The social and economic pressures on the characteristics of agriculture are likely to increase, but together they are strong and are developing strategies to adapt to and counteract the changing climate. The future will show how long these challenges will last and which measures will actually have an impact.

Hoping that summer will bring a few more sunny days, it remains to be seen how the industry and those affected will cope with the blows of the weather.