"Yes, there was damage," says Simon Schumacher, Managing Director of the Association of South German Asparagus and Strawberry Producers (VSSE) in Bruchsal on request from Gemüse-Online. In many growing areas, great damage was caused. Mini tunnels, triple coverings and plastic as well as plastic tunnels were destroyed by the storm.
Often not enough workers for repairs
Often there are not enough workers on the farms to quickly restore all the areas. "When it comes to asparagus, this leads to a delay in harvesting. Strawberries are less secure against possible frosts, and all in all that costs a lot of energy and money," he said. "A survey of the damage we have not yet made, and no financial aid is yet in sight."
Picture: Gemüse-Online
"The recent storms have damaged or destroyed a large number of tunnels and flat foils, and many companies will get a heavy financial burden from these damages," said Arno Fried, head of the special culture group at the Bruchsal Agricultural Office (Landratsamt Karlsruhe).
"Yes, we have also received damage from the persistent stormy weather of the last few days." Many mini tunnels and films on the strawberry dams, as well as the doors of the walk-in film tunnels are damaged," says Markus Leicht from asparagus and strawberry farm Leicht in Leopoldshafen-Eggenstein, near Karlsruhe. "The last few days I have only been working on repairs."
A leading company in the Bruchsal area was hit harder than ever, with damage to a large part of the asparagus and strawberry coverings.
Less damage at Lake Constance
Overall, there is much less protected cultivation on Lake Constance than in North and Central Baden, which means a significantly lower potential for damage. Therefore, the correct extent of the damages are less easy to ascertain, even though sporadically it hit businesses harder. In the direction of Lindau - according to fruit-growing consultant Klaus Altherr of the Württembergische Obstgenossenschaft (WOG) - it must have "blown" a little harder. There, a film tunnel was lost and the rods of the tunnel are bent. "The film was probably blown into the Bavarian hinterland or into Lake Constance, but there was nothing left of it," he said.
Elsewhere, attempts were made to bolster a foil cover. The storm did not harm the already blooming strawberries, only chances for an early harvest are now gone because the plants have halted their development. There was no cold damage to these plants so far.
In the area Horgenzell, there was no damage. Covered field strawberries did not see any significant damage. At most, there would be torn and fluttering film somewhere on a corner. There was no damage to the crops.
Storm rages in the district of Karlsruhe
Asparagus producer Franziska Gehrer from Durmersheim watched the development of the storm with concern starting at 11 am on Sunday. Between 2 and 4 pm, the storm gusts became so strong that they and their helpers had to surrender to the forces of nature. The film tunnels could not be saved; tarpaulins lay spread out over the landscape.
Picture: SWR
Without cover, asparagus literally gets cold again. The planned beginning of the harvest at the end of this week must first be postponed. In the opinion of Franziska Gehrer, the balance of the harvest will turn out to be lower in the end. She expects to have damages of between €50.000 and 150.000 for her operation in Durmersheim alone.
Source: Gemüse-Online / SWR.de