Sugar beet harvests in southern Germany face drastic decline

Extreme heat and prolonged drought have caused significant damage to sugar beet cultivation in southern Germany, leading to a drastic reduction in the projected 2026 harvest. The Verband Süddeutscher Zuckerrübenanbauer e. V. (VSZ) has lowered its yield forecasts, warning that the situation is critical in regions including the Rhine-Main area, Baden-Württemberg, and Franconia.

Water reserves in traditionally fertile loess soils are reportedly exhausted. The crisis is compounded by plant diseases such as Cercospora and bacterial infections like SBR/Stolbur, which are spread by the meadow grass leafhopper. Dr. Stefan Streng, chairman of the VSZ, noted that 2026 represents one of the most challenging years for southern German sugar beet production, with predicted yields being among the lowest since German reunification.