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Grain harvest 2025: Winter barley in Lower Saxony starts despite weather turbulence
The 2025 grain harvest in Lower Saxony has begun, with the first combine harvesting operations for winter barley and varying yield expectations.
Grain harvest 2025: Winter barley in Lower Saxony starts despite weather turbulence
Combine harvesters are rolling across the fields again
Today is an exciting day for farmers in Lower Saxony. The grain harvest has begun and the first combine harvesters have already been deployed. The winter barley reached its threshing maturity at the weekend, and a general start to the harvest season in Lower Saxony is expected from the first days of July. The average grain harvest in Germany is estimated at around 40.1 million tons, which is slightly above last year's result of 39 million tons, reports Land & Forestry.
But not everything goes smoothly. Weather conditions are currently having a significant impact on harvest expectations. While the winter months were rainy on average, a prolonged drought from February to mid-May led to low water content in the topsoil. This results in significantly different yields in the growing regions. Despite the drought, farmers on easy sites were often still able to take advantage of favorable sowing conditions in autumn. Overall, the Lower Saxony Chamber of Agriculture remains cautiously optimistic; Well-developed stocks could produce normal to good yields.
Harvest forecasts in a larger context
A look beyond German borders shows that the harvest forecasts in other European countries are also promising. In countries such as the Benelux and France, sowing has been completed quickly and the plants are at a good stage of development. Loud Agricultural world Wheat production in Germany will increase by 15.4 percent to around 21.36 million tons. At the same time, the 2025 grain harvest is estimated at 42 million tons, an increase of 7 percent.
Conditions in other countries, such as Spain and Ireland, are also favorable, although soil moisture in some regions leaves something to be desired. Additional rainfall would be needed to reach the plants' full potential. Sowing in most European countries has so far gone without any major problems, while in Poland and the Baltic Sea region there are still challenges with soil moisture.
Price fluctuations and market changes
Another point that influences the harvest is developments on the agricultural markets. The US has imposed tariffs on certain imports, to which the EU has responded with its own tariffs on corn and soy. These policy decisions can significantly impact the agricultural markets of both regions. Meanwhile, wheat and corn prices fell, but are recovering quickly, which pleases farmers in Germany. However, the euro's rise to $1.0958 could complicate European grain exports, making things difficult for farmers.
Despite some challenges, there is hope for a positive harvest. The forecasts already show that more land is being used for grain cultivation, which indicates increasing production. For example, rapeseed production in Germany is expected to fall by 5.2 percent to 4.01 million tons.
Overall, it is clear that the 2025 grain harvest in Germany and Europe must be viewed from various aspects. The harvest is on trend, although weather and market developments ensure constant monitoring. The coming weeks will be crucial to see how the forecast yields ultimately translate into the fields. One thing is clear: things remain exciting in agriculture.