Significant decline in winter cereals acreage in Germany, down by over 6%

CropRadar has measured winter cereal acreage by satellite: With an area of 4,739,667 ha, winter cereal cultivation in Germany has fallen below the 5 million mark, which has always been exceeded in the past ten years. There are clear regional differences in the distribution.

Lower harvest quantities and qualities in the past harvest year, falling market prices and, in some regions, very difficult sowing conditions combined with flooding, some of which lasted into the spring, have led to a significant overall decline in the cultivation of winter cereals in Germany.

For example, in the district of Osnabrück in Lower Saxony. Here, the area under cultivation fell by over 19%. Even greater declines have been recorded in Schleswig-Holstein, for example in North Friesland and Schleswig-Flensburg. Nevertheless, there are still many regions that are not following the nationwide trend, but have further expanded the cultivation of winter cereals – e.g. individual regions in Thuringia and also in the Börde district in Saxony-Anhalt or districts such as Hersfeld-Rotenburg or the Vogelberg district in Hesse.

CropRadar also measured a decline in the area under winter cereals in Bavaria, which continues to be the leader in winter cereal cultivation. Overall, however, it can be stated that the cultivation of winter cereals here is still above the average of the last four years. In the last harvest year 2023, a significant increase in winter cereals was observed, so that the decline this year in Bavaria represents more of a normalisation of winter cereal cultivation.