Regional Differences in Potato Yields in Germany

The Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) has provided a promising assessment of this year's potato harvest despite challenging weather conditions and delayed planting.

A total harvest of 10.9 million tons is expected nationwide, which is more than 2 percent above the multi-year average. Regional Differences in Cultivation and YieldRegionally, both the cultivation area and yield per hectare have developed quite differently.

While in most federal states, the cultivation area decreased, it increased in North Rhine-Westphalia, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and Baden-Württemberg. Looking at the federal states reveals that potato yields per hectare vary from state to state.

This variation is influenced by regional climate conditions, planting times, weather conditions, the use of irrigation, and the potatoes themselves with their varying vegetative periods.

A notable example is Lower Saxony, which is expected to harvest approximately 5.11 million tons of potatoes. This represents a reduction compared to the previous year (5.28 million tons), attributed to the reduced cultivation area and lower yield.

In contrast, Bavaria, despite a declining cultivation area, predicts a larger harvest quantity.It's important to note that the available data so far doesn't verify which utilization directions are particularly affected by the reduction in cultivation area.

Furthermore, this early harvest estimate is based on limited and preliminary data. The numbers will be further refined as the harvest season progresses.

Thomas Herkenrath, President of DKHV:
 

"It is still too early to make a final assessment of the overall situation, as many fields still need to be harvested. Ultimately, the quality and stability of our storage stocks will be crucial in determining the quantities available for marketing."