Germany: Around 4,700 horticultural businesses in the state

According to the bureau of statistics, there were overall approximately 8,400 businesses producing horticultural goods in 2016. Of those, around 4,700 were strictly speaking horticultural businesses that made their profits predominantly in horticulture. For the other 3,700 companies, horticulture is one of several forms of production, with a general focus on agriculture. The last systematic record of horticultural businesses dates back to 2005. In this time frame, the number of businesses in this sector dropped significantly while the cultivated area of those businesses has grown larger. Exact comparisons are not as easy, as over the time not only the businesses have changed but also the criteria for recording and the distinction of the businesses. In terms of size compared to 2005, there is a reduction of about one fifth. The increase of cultivated area is about one tenth.

The horticulturally usable area includes a wide variety of plants and cultures which are distinct from agriculture in terms of intensity of cultivation. Horticulture is the cultivation of fruit trees, berries, vegetables, flowers, ornamental plants, medicinal plants, but also the cultivation of trees and bushes in nurseries or the cultivation of mushrooms. The largest contributors are the plantations of fruit trees such as apples, pears, cherries and other stone fruit varieties. Almost half of the overall area is designated to orchards of such. More than a third of the area (36%) is designated to vegetables on open fields - most importantly asparagus, salads, and strawberries. Almost similarly large and with a share of each five percent there are bush berries (currants, raspberries etc.) as well as the area for tree nurseries. The remaining five percent are made up by any other horticultural cultures. Parts of those are also the insignificantly small but valuable production areas protected from the weather: green houses and foil tunnels for vegetables, young plants and first and foremost flowers and ornamental plants.

If one divides the horticultural businesses with a focus on production according to business type, the distribution pattern is similar to the pattern of the usage, but not quite identical. This is due to the different value of the horticultural usages and the fact that one company can produce different goods. A good quarter of the businesses are therefore in the category of "Other", hence the category of businesses without one distinct specialisation. The most significant group, according to the numbers, are the fruit growing companies, with a share of 54%. Vegetable producing businesses (including strawberries) make up for 9% and flower and ornamental plant businesses have a share of 8%. Three percent of the horticultural businesses with a focus in production are tree nurseries.

For further information:
Statistisches Landesamt
Baden Württemberg