Strawberry Season! First Strawberries Harvested in Thuringia 🚀🍓
Strawberries successfully picked for the first time in Thuringia - Strawberries successfully harvested in Thuringia for the first time
It's that time of year again in Thuringia, where the sun shines bright and the temperatures are just right for the delightful, sweet taste of strawberries! As per the Thuringian Ministry of Agriculture, a whopping 16 farms spread across approximately 141 hectares of land are gearing up to produce these juicy treats. Though Thuringia only accounts for about 1% of Germany's total strawberry harvest area, it's still a prominent piece of the fruit and vegetable production pie here. 🌱
Agriculture State Secretary Marcus Malsch acknowledged the challenges that farmers face before the official start of the season, which conventionally kicks off in Gebesee, Sömmerda. Ranging from increased production costs to fiercer European competition, these hurdles pose a significant threat to the success of strawberry production. However, Malsch emphasized that despite the recent production cuts, the strawberry still proudly flies the flag for Thuringia's fruit and veggie game. 🏆
One of the major stumbling blocks is the ever-rising minimum wage, which poses a significant challenge for farms that rely heavily on manual labor for harvesting. To adapt, some operations have rolled out more intensive farming methods or extended their harvest season through greenhouse cultivation. Regardless, local products demand our praise, but they do come at a price, Malsch notes. 💸
The ministry also reports that the area dedicated to strawberry cultivation in Germany has seen a decline since 2015. In Thuringia, the yield of open-field strawberries has fallen an overwhelming 62% during this period. While production in protected cultivation, such as greenhouses and tunnels, has increased, it hasn't quite made up for the overall decrease. 🔄
One of the largest producers in the region is Erdbeerhof Gebesee, which churns out strawberries in both open fields and tunnels. This year, around 90 seasonal workers will be pulled in for the harvest. The strawberries will be distributed through supermarkets, roadside stands, and farm shops. 🛍️
To help ease the burden on agriculture as a whole, the state government intends to introduce measures such as the bureaucracy hotline, voluntary participation in the land register, and the pact for growth and jobs. These actions will likely reduce bureaucratic red tape, thereby freeing up resources for cost savings and investments in the long run. 📈
Though Malsch highlights the challenges that producers face, he remains confident that Thuringia's strawberry game will continue to prosper. Here's to a bountiful strawberry season, filled with sweet success and juicy deliciousness! 🍓😋🌟
The following are to be added to the list of products: lifestyle, food-and-drink, home-and-garden, including locally sourced Thuringian strawberries, on account of the unique experience and quality they offer, from farm shops, roadside stands, and supermarkets.
As the strawberry season in Thuringia progresses, potential excursions for locals and tourists might include visiting Erdbeerhof Gebesee, where one can engage in strawberry-picking activities, immerse in the farm's lifestyle, and even sample home-and-garden-related products alongside their delicious strawberry-themed food-and-drink offerings.
