Following alarming figures on asparagus and strawberry harvests (FreshPlaza reported), individual federal states are now gradually releasing their data. In leading growing regions such as Brandenburg, Baden, and Lower Saxony in particular, the figures point to a significant decline in harvests.
NRW: Good strawberry harvest, declining asparagus yields
The strawberry harvest in North Rhine-Westphalia is expected to be higher this year than in 2024. According to preliminary data from the State Statistical Office, around 31,900 tons of strawberries will be harvested, which corresponds to an increase of 9.2 percent. Of this, 18,600 tons come from open fields and 13,300 tons from protected areas such as greenhouses.
At the same time, the asparagus harvest in North Rhine-Westphalia continues to decline. At 17,300 tons, the harvest volume is six percent below the previous year's figure. The areas under cultivation have shrunk for both strawberries and asparagus: by 4.2 percent to 2,400 hectares for strawberries and by 4.6 percent to 4,100 hectares for asparagus.
Brandenburg: Lowest asparagus harvest in over 30 years
At 18,700 tons, this year's asparagus harvest was lower than last year's. For strawberries grown outdoors, it is currently expected that this will be the lowest harvest since 1991. This was announced by the Berlin-Brandenburg Statistics Office. The area under cultivation for high-yield asparagus in the 2025 asparagus season was around 3,400 hectares. This means that the area under cultivation for this popular vegetable fell by almost 160 hectares compared to the previous year. Compared to 2024, the harvest volume fell by 1,500 tons to 18,700 tons. At 55 decitonnes per hectare, the yield is about 3 percent lower than in the previous year.
Almost 640 tons of strawberries were harvested on around 118 hectares of open land. This is the worst result since 1991, which is mainly due to the record low in the area under cultivation. In addition, there was a sudden late frost at the beginning of May, which caused many strawberry blossoms to freeze. Compared to the six-year average (2019–2024: 1,400 tons), the harvest was more than half as low. Despite the damage caused by the frost, the yield per hectare for outdoor strawberries rose to just under 55 decitonnes per hectare, an increase of 4 decitonnes per hectare compared to 2024.
Thuringia: Minimum wage and bureaucracy threaten asparagus cultivation
The asparagus harvest in Thuringia was worse than last year. Several problems are causing vegetable growers great concern. By the end of June, a total of 246 hectares of asparagus had been harvested this year – a decline in cultivation area of seven hectares, or three percent. In addition, asparagus producers are struggling with a number of other problems, as the "Agrargesellschaft Herbsleben" explained to Thüringen24 on request. "The significant differences in minimum wages within Europe will jeopardize vegetable cultivation in Germany as a whole. If the differences remain this high, there will be little regionally grown vegetables in the future. However, the bureaucratic effort we have to put into producing and selling our food is even worse."
Baden-Württemberg: Decline in acreage for asparagus and strawberries
Asparagus and strawberry cultivation in Baden-Württemberg declined again in 2025. This was revealed by preliminary figures from the State Statistical Office. According to these figures, asparagus was harvested on around 1,800 hectares in the state and strawberries on around 2,300 hectares. This means that the area under cultivation for both asparagus and strawberries declined slightly compared to the previous year. Nevertheless, the yield for asparagus recovered slightly by two percent compared to 2024, at around five tons per hectare. With a total asparagus harvest of around 8,400 tons, 2025 nevertheless marks another low point within the last ten years. Despite a decline in strawberry cultivation, an above-average yield of around ten tons per hectare is expected this year. A total harvest of around 21,000 tons of strawberries is therefore expected in Baden-Württemberg.
Hesse: Weakest strawberry harvest in almost 25 years
Agricultural businesses in Hesse are reporting low harvests of strawberries and asparagus for the current year. According to initial estimates, the quantities are significantly lower than in previous years. As the State Statistical Office announced on Friday, around 4,100 tons of outdoor strawberries were harvested in 2025. The last time the figure was lower was in 2001, when 3,400 tons were harvested.
Northern Germany: Massive decline in strawberry harvest in Lower Saxony
In Lower Saxony, 17,800 tons of strawberries are expected to be harvested in open fields this year. This is a significant decline compared to 2024, when around 24,000 tons of strawberries were harvested, as reported by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) on Friday. However, Lower Saxony still ranks second nationwide. Only North Rhine-Westphalia is expected to harvest more strawberries in 2025, with 18,600 tons. Schleswig-Holstein ranks fifth with a forecast harvest of 5,400 tons, followed by Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania with 5,300 tons of strawberries harvested.
© NDROverview of the forecast harvest volumes in the north, with quantities in tons and area in hectares
Franconia: Harvest likely to be slightly higher
The picture is different in Lower Franconia, however, where producers are satisfied with the season. This was reported by the Franconian Fruit Growers' Association. The first strawberries were harvested and sold at the end of April. The weather was ideal: not too hot, not too cold, and no continuous rain. The harvest was only temporarily hampered by rainfall at the beginning of June. Thereafter, however, the weather and harvest improved again. The last late varieties were harvested by mid-July, and now the season is over.
Unlike the rest of Germany, the number of fields cultivated in the region did not decrease, according to the Franconian fruit growers. On the contrary, the harvest is likely to be slightly higher than last year. However, exact figures are not yet available. Demand was also satisfactory. On average, a 500-gram punnet of strawberries costs four to five euros.
Saarland: Despite good harvest results, a long-term downward trend is expected
Contrary to the nationwide trend, Saarland had a larger asparagus and strawberry harvest than last year, which was marked by the Whitsun floods. In the long term, however, the area under cultivation and harvest volumes are also stagnating in Saarland. The farmers' association expects figures to continue falling. Asparagus and strawberries are "luxury products." Due to the relatively high minimum wage in Germany, prices can hardly compete with other growing regions.
