The Deutsche Bauernverband mentions that the German fruit harvest will be less that average this year, as per their website Agrarheute.com. The apple harvest will probably be about 933,000 tons, 2 percent less than last year. But the pear harvest also is expected to be smaller than last year. A harvest of about 38,000 tons is estimated, which is 19% less than in 2011.
The harvest of black cherries is estimated at about 26,700 tons, almost 30% less than last year. The morello harvest amounted to 16,300 tons and with that is 25 percent less than last year. The cause of the smaller harvested quantities are apart from frost in April, also additional clearings. However, the market took the harvested quantities quite well.
The plum harvest after the bad year in 2011 was not better in 2012 either. The harvest was between 45,000 and 50,000 tons. Here as well frost decreased the harvested quantities strongly. The strawberry harvest this year was only about 138,000 tons. Because of the humid weather it was a very difficult year for the strawberry growers as a lot of fruit was rotting in the fields. Furthermore frost in April decreased the strawberry harvest.
