Heatwave and rising costs put German wheat harvest under pressure

German farmers fear reduced wheat yields following a period of extreme heat in late June, with the president of the German Farmers' Association, Joachim Rukwied, warning on Thursday of harvest losses as the harvest season got under way in Rangsdorf to the south of Berlin. 

"We therefore fear that we will have to accept yield losses, particularly for later crops such as wheat," Rukwied said, adding that he was still assuming an average harvest overall for now.

Forecasting this year's harvest was very difficult because of the enormous heatwave in the second half of June, he said.

Farmers' president calls for extension of fuel tax rebate

Rukwied explained that grain switches to a self-preservation mode at temperatures above 27 degrees Celsius - a phenomenon known as stress ripening. At that point, grain filling and quality storage no longer take place properly. "There are then quality losses and smaller grains. That ultimately means lower yields," he said.

Rukwied also warned of growing economic pressure on agricultural businesses in Germany, citing falling producer prices, rising costs due to fertilizer and diesel prices, and excessive red tape.

He called for the fuel tax rebate to be extended until the end of November. "Now is the time when our main work takes place," he said, adding that energy costs were crushing the agricultural sector because large amounts of fuel were needed during the harvest period.