Germany: How weather extremes impact local agriculture

Germany: How weather extremes impact local agriculture July 29, 2026For many German farmers, the heat wave in late June couldn't have come at a worse time. While barley was already ready for harvest across much of Germany, the drought struck other crops during a particularly vulnerable stage of development. "This year is another difficult one for farms," Horst Gömann of Germany's North Rhine-Westphalia Chamber of Agriculture told DW. Corn has been particularly hard hit, as the extreme heat coincided with the flowering period, he said. "We're already seeing some corn plants failing to form cobs. That, of course, essentially amounts to a total crop failure," Gömann said. In corn, the energy is concentrated in the cobs. If they're missing, yields plummet dramatically. The heat wave in June, with peak temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, hit other European growing regions even harder. According to a recent analysis by Coceral, the European association of grain traders, this reduced the value of the grain harvest in Europe by more than €2 billion ($2.3 billion), with France and Hungary suffering the greatest losses. Due to the heat wave, Coceral lowered its expectations for grain production in the European Union and the United Kingdom by just under 9 million metric tons, a decline of 3%. The London-based research institute Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) even expects a 5% decline. Corn accounts for the largest share of the downward revision in Europe's grain forecast, representing about half of the adjustment. German farmers need to diversify The weather also took its toll on wheat and barley. In some cases, barley was harvested several weeks earlier than usual. According to Gömann, this year's barley harvest is likely to be slightly below average. For wheat, he expects losses of about 10%. Risk diversification is therefore an important adaptation strategy. Instead of growing just one kind of grain, many farms are relying on different kinds with varying maturity rates. "You never know when such extreme heat will strike," Gömann said. He explained that farmers who grow multiple varieties spread the risk across different stages of development. Barley has a natural advantage in this regard. It matures earlier than wheat and often completes grain formation before the major early-summer drought sets in. Fruit farming struggles with late frost and sunburn While drought threatens crops in the fields, late frost is a major concern in fruit farming. Due to climate change and mild winter temperatures, flower buds, from which the fruit will eventually develop, form earlier. However, frosty nights can occur well into spring. Many fruit growers, therefore, protect their blossoms with frost-protection sprinklers. Water is sprayed over the blossoms, forming a layer of ice. "This traps enough heat inside so that temperatures don't drop as low as they would without frost-protection sprinklers," explains Gömann. These systems can also be used for irrigation during long dry spells in summer. There are also technical solutions for combating heat. Today, hail protection nets serve more than just protection against severe weather, as they also shade the fruit and prevent sunburn. In addition, experiments are already underway in fruit and wine growing with semi-transparent photovoltaic films. They generate electricity and protect the plants from excessive sunlight while allowing enough light to pass through. However, while irrigation is an important tool, Gömann believes it is not always economically viable. He said vegetables, potatoes and fruit generate high returns and justify the investment. He added that for grains or corn, irrigation is not worthwhile. "The costs are simply too high," he said. The water comes primarily from groundwater. Despite frequent periods of drought, Germany is not a water-scarce country. "We basically still have enough water in Germany," the Gömann emphasized. The problem, he said, is rather the uneven distribution. Heavy rainfall occurs in winter, while dry spells are becoming more frequent in summer. New breeds suitable for a warmer climate Plant breeding plays a central role. Varieties whose genetic origins lie in warmer regions of Europe are already being cultivated in North Rhine-Westphalia. "With wheat, for example, we're already making extensive use of genetics from France," said Gömann. The climatic conditions there have, in some respects, already shifted to Germany. Grains with shorter stalks, known as semi-dwarfs, have been around for many years. Short stalks can bear significantly heavier ears, are less likely to snap during heavy rain, hail, or wind and require less water. In addition, research is being conducted on wheat varieties with deeper roots. Current research at the German Julius Kühn Institute, the Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, aims to develop wheat whose roots respond dynamically to drought by growing deeper only when water becomes scarce in the topsoil. Soybeans and millet are only niche products The agricultural sector is also experimenting with new crops. Soybeans are now being grown in parts of Germany, albeit on a very small scale. Experiments are even being conducted with millet, a crop known from arid regions around the world, also only on a very small scale. Even winegrowing is slowly expanding further north, which is a visible sign of the shifting vegetation zones. For Gömann, the condition of the soil is at least as important as new crop varieties. He said it is crucial to avoid soil compaction so that roots can penetrate deep into the ground. Farmers, modern agriculture adapting to climate change Farmers have always had to adapt to changing conditions, said Gömann. What's new, however, is the pace. While climate change used to take place over generations, now it is noticeable within just a few decades. "The whole thing is happening quite quickly now," he said. At the same time, modern agriculture has significantly better options than previous generations. New varieties are developed within a few years, and international breeding companies are continuously working on plants that are more tolerant of drought and heat. For the agricultural expert, one thing is certain: the increase in extreme weather conditions in the past years is no coincidence. He sees the severe droughts of 2018 and 2019, as well as the recent heat waves, as part of a trend. "This can certainly be attributed to the emerging climate change," Gömann told DW. Agriculture must therefore continue to adapt, just as it has done for centuries, he noted, adding that it must do so much faster than before. This article was originally published in German.