Germany apple harvest projected to fall below ten-year average

apple harvest agricultural yields weather damage food production Destatis

Germany's apple harvest for 2026 is projected to reach approximately 934,000 tons, falling roughly 5.4 percent below the ten-year average from 2016 to 2025. This represents a significant decrease of about 204,000 tons compared to the previous year.

The decline is attributed to recurring heatwaves and persistent drought during the spring and summer of 2026. These weather conditions caused many fruits to fall prematurely, remain undersized, or suffer from sun damage. Additionally, some farms reported total crop losses due to hail damage.

While apples remain the most significant tree fruit in Germany, with a cultivation area of 32,700 hectares, the yield is expected to average 28.6 tons per hectare. The harvest is largely driven by Baden-Württemberg and Lower Saxony, which together account for 61.1 percent of the cultivation area and produce two-thirds of the domestic supply. In contrast, plum and prune harvests are expected to be more resilient, potentially exceeding the ten-year average by 11.5 percent.

Entities

Baden-Württemberg · Germany · Niedersachsen · Statistisches Bundesamt

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 3 SOURCES] Heatwaves, drought, and hail caused damage and crop losses. www.nachrichten-heute.net · www.berliner-sonntagsblatt.de · www.finanznachrichten.de
[● 3 SOURCES] The expected harvest is 204,000 tons or 17.9 percent lower than the previous year. www.nachrichten-heute.net · www.berliner-sonntagsblatt.de · www.finanznachrichten.de
[○ 1 SOURCE] Niedersachsen is expected to harvest 272,000 tons on 8,400 hectares. www.berliner-sonntagsblatt.de
[● 3 SOURCES] The 2026 harvest is projected to be 52,900 tons or 5.4 percent lower than the ten-year average (2016–2025). www.nachrichten-heute.net · www.berliner-sonntagsblatt.de · www.finanznachrichten.de
[● 2 SOURCES] Baden-Württemberg is expected to harvest 350,000 tons on 11,600 hectares. www.berliner-sonntagsblatt.de · www.finanznachrichten.de
[● 3 SOURCES] The German apple harvest for 2026 is expected to be approximately 934,000 tons. www.nachrichten-heute.net · www.berliner-sonntagsblatt.de · www.finanznachrichten.de