Summer crops with sharp declines in yield

According to preliminary information published by the German Federal Statistical Office, around 159,400 tonnes of sunflowerseed were harvested in Germany in 2022. This was up 59,700 tonnes on the previous year and almost three times the long-standing average. The main reason for the increase was an expansion in area planted. Sunflowers were grown on 85,300 hectares in 2022, more than twice the previous year’s area. However, the presumed yield of 18.7 decitonnes per hectare dashed expectations, not only falling 7.4 decitonnes per hectare short of the previous year’s yield, but also remaining well below the long-standing average of 22.0 decitonnes per hectare. They key reasons were the drought and heat over the summer months, which diminished the yield potential significantly.

Soybean farming has played an appreciable role in Germany since 2015 and has grown continuously and substantially since then. In 2022, the soybean area increased another 17,200 hectares to 51,400 hectares. But again, yields fell short of the previous year’s figure due to the poor growing conditions during the summer. They dropped 6.4 decitonnes per hectare to 24.8 decitonnes per hectare. Nevertheless, based on the substantial expansion in area planted with soybeans, the soybean harvest rose to 127,700 tonnes, which was up around 21,100 tonnes on the previous year’s level. Bavaria and Baden-Wuerttemberg remained the most important production regions.

The Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen e. V. (UFOP) regards the positive trend in area planted as evidence of arable farmers‘ fundamental interest in diversifying crop rotations and making them more resilient in view of climate change. Unfortunately, such willingness to change was not rewarded, especially in the case of sunflowers. Some farmers also lacked experience in cultivating this crop. According to the UFOP, agricultural and public consultants are challenged to respond to this situation and take much more account of small-scale crops, such as legumes and also sunflowers, in their consulting practice and cultivation trials. The UFOP believes that there is still room for improvement in developing the German Ministry of Agriculture’s arable farming strategy in a holistic manner and make it visible also through the leading farms.