The fruit harvest in Germany was, at 1.24 million tons, higher in 2011 than in 2010, but was smaller than the long term average. Three nights of frost in May destroyed hopes of a big harvest.

 

The shortage, which was the result, was not filled by an increase in imported quantities, with provisional figures making it clear that imports decreased by 5% to a little more than 4.8 million tons. The export also decreased by 10%, but as this was less than 750,000 tons, there were less consequences for the total food provision in the countries of export. The conclusion therefore is, that the German market in 2011 was provided with less fruit than normally would be the case.

This was, however, not only because of a small supply locally and abroad. There were a number of very good harvests in Europe, for instance peaches and nectarines. The month in which these fruits were mainly eaten (July) was characterized by low temperatures, which resulted in the demand for these typically summer fruits to lag far behind expectations. For melons and watermelons this was even worse. The quantities sold decreased by over 15%.

German private households bought 6% less fresh fruit in 2011 than in 2010. The apple has already for years been the most sold fruit variety in Germany, followed by bananas and oranges. In 2011 those three kinds of fruit also experienced a decrease in the quantities sold.