Financial report detailing the outcomes from the agricultural yield of harvest 2025

In the picturesque region of Baden-Württemberg, farmers are bracing for a mixed bag of results as the 2025 harvest approaches. The year has posed several challenges for the agriculture sector, but there are signs of hope amidst the difficulties.

The weather in 2025 has been particularly unpredictable, with an autumn that was wet to very wet, making the sowing of winter cereals difficult. This was followed by a mild winter and an unusually warm and dry first half of 2025. These conditions have had a significant impact on various crops.

Significant yield losses and reduced sugar contents in sugar beets have been recorded for several years in Baden-Württemberg. This is due to the spread of bacterial diseases transmitted by the reed leafhopper, which have taken hold in the relevant sugar beet growing regions. Minister of Food, Rural Affairs, and Consumer Protection, Peter Hauk, is utilizing all legal and agricultural means to control the reed leafhopper, but no specific measures have been announced yet.

However, the news isn't all bleak. The cereal harvest in Baden-Württemberg has been successfully completed, despite initial fears of quality losses due to the rainy period. However, there were significant quality losses in the brewing barley. For many special crop operations, the harvest was satisfactory, despite difficulties with strawberries.

The apple harvest at Lake Constance is expected to be good, although the quantity may be slightly lower than the previous year. The quality and aroma of the apples, on the other hand, are particularly good. Fruit growing operations and winemakers look optimistically at the 2025 harvest after the frost year 2024. Asparagus farmers had an overall positive season in 2025.

Grassland and maize in Baden-Württemberg have grown vigorously due to the rainfall and warm temperatures. Catch crops, sown after the cereal harvest for erosion control, humus build-up, and nitrogen fixation, have provided optimal conditions for the coming crops through loose soils. The rainfall provided optimal germination conditions for these catch crops, ensuring their success.

Minister Hauk is committed to ensuring that operations have and can use diverse control options, with chemical plant protection being a last resort. Overwintering opportunities for numerous insects are good in Baden-Württemberg due to strong catch crop stands.

Adapting agriculture in Baden-Württemberg to climate change is of great importance, according to Minister Hauk. He emphasizes the need to explore and implement innovative farming practices that can help the region's farmers navigate the challenges of an increasingly unpredictable climate.

As the harvest season comes to a close, the farmers of Baden-Württemberg continue to face a complex array of challenges. Yet, their resilience and adaptability remain unwavering, as they look forward to a promising future for the region's agriculture.