Harvest Estimate: German Fruit Growers Expect One of the Best Cherry Harvests in Years

Sweet Cherries as the Engine of the Harvest

The most important federal state for sweet cherry cultivation is Baden-Württemberg. Around 19,200 tonnes of sweet cherries are expected to be harvested there, on an area of 2,600 hectares. This consolidates the southwest's leading role for this type of fruit.

The picture for sour cherries is more subdued. The sour cherry harvest is expected to come in at 10,800 tonnes according to the estimate – though significantly lower than the ten-year average (minus 6.8 percent). The most important federal state for sour cherry cultivation is Rhineland-Palatinate, with an expected harvest of 3,100 tonnes, meaning the harvest there would yield almost 18 percent more than the previous year. Baden-Württemberg and Thuringia follow.

Sour Cherries: Traces of the Decline in Cultivation Area

The background to the structural decline in sour cherries is the shrinking cultivation area seen for years. As the Federal Statistical Office noted, the cultivation area for sour cherries has fallen by around a quarter since 2016. This year's harvest forecast is therefore above the previous year's figure, but remains behind the long-term average.

The overall positive harvest expectation is supported by the favorable weather in the current year. "Deutschlands Obstbauern stehen voraussichtlich vor einer der besten Kirschenernten seit Jahren", the authority's statement said. The interplay of weather, care of the orchards, and stable yields in the main cultivation regions contributes to the above-average result.

Outlook on the Season

Overall, the estimate shows a divided picture: while sweet cherry growers can expect an exceptionally good season, sour cherry production remains behind earlier years. For consumers, this is likely to translate into a broad availability of domestic sweet cherries at markets and in food retail.

The final harvest quantities will only be determined after the picking work is completed. The current estimate from the Federal Statistical Office is based on reports from the farms and reflects the status as of the reporting date. (dpa-AFX)