Successful grain harvest: Wheat is booming despite the hot summer in North Rhine-Westphalia!

Successful grain harvest: Wheat is booming despite the hot summer in North Rhine-Westphalia!

The grain harvest in North Rhine-Westphalia is in full swing. Currently, farmers are focusing on harvesting wheat, which is considered the most important grain. According to the South German newspaper The yields of winter wheat sown in autumn give satisfactory results. However, the lack of rainwater and high temperatures on some days could affect yields.

In North Rhine-Westphalia, wheat is grown on almost half of the arable land. The winter barley was harvested relatively early and without any major problems. The yields of this culture are sometimes well above average across the country. In the coming weeks, other types of grain such as oats, rye, triticale (animal feed) and rapeseed will be harvested, while the corn harvest is not due until autumn.

Positive harvest figures in North Rhine-Westphalia

Despite the difficult weather conditions, farmers in North Rhine-Westphalia achieved a good grain and rapeseed harvest. According to a statement from the State of North Rhine-Westphalia 3.93 million tons of grain have already been harvested this year. This represents an increase of around 11% compared to the previous year. The wheat harvest is particularly pleasing, reaching 2.15 million tonnes, an increase of 17.5%, making it the highest harvest since 2016.

The area yield for winter wheat is 8.7 tons per hectare, which is 12.2% more than in 2021. Spring wheat is also showing positive development with an increase of around 22% to 6 tonnes per hectare. Winter barley achieved 7.9 tonnes per hectare, around 9% more than last year, while spring barley achieved 5.9 tonnes per hectare - an increase of 20% compared to 2021.

Future challenges and weather conditions

Other cereals also show pleasing yields: rye records around 7 tons per hectare, and triticale reaches 6.8 tons per hectare. The oats even showed an increase of 24% and achieved a yield of 5.7 tons. However, the heat and drought that have prevailed since early summer are having a negative impact on the growth of potatoes, corn and sugar beets.

On light, sandy soils, the corn has sometimes completely dried out and forced harvests are already being carried out. Plant growth has come to a standstill almost everywhere in the country in late summer. For the future, Minister Silke Gorißen emphasizes the need for more planning security for agriculture. Challenges such as persistent heat, rising energy costs and fertilizer prices present the industry with major tasks.

The Ministry of Agriculture is planning measures to promote digitalization in agriculture and improve water supplies to address these challenges.