Although the situation in flooded areas in the East of Germany is a disaster, it now appears that the damage in horticulture remains manageable, although separate instances are partly very tragic.
In total the German Gartenbau-Versicherung (GV) received 58 claims up to 14 June. These are the result of the heavy rain since Pentecost. About 40% of the claims are the result of the high water in the Danube, the Inn, the Elbe and Saale and their catchment areas. The total amount of the claims is about one and a half million Euro. The costs that will follow for clearing away, cleaning, culture damage and repairs to heating and other technical installations are not as yet included. Below a survey of the present situation in the separate federal states.
Saxony: The Gartenbau-Versicherung received 19 claims in total from Saxony with an estimate claim value of about 600,000 Euro. Dresden was hit hardest, as was expected. Here in addition to glasshouse companies mainly fields used for open ground cultivation were in the catchment area. In the city of Dresden mainly horticultural companies received serious damage in the Gohlis part of the city.
Thüringen: The adjacent federal state Thüringen the Gartenbau-Versicherung received nine claims with a total of almost 200,000 Euro. A vegetable company situated in the catchment area of the Roda and the flow of the Saale was damaged to an estimate of 100,000 Euro. The tomato and cucumber plants were about 20cm under water. Next to mainly glasshouse companies the tree nursery at Jena, which is close to the Saale, was about 80 cm under water.
Saxony-Anhalt: Here only one company was hit. It is the ornamental plant company at Jesznitz. Because of the high water in the Mulde the company was about one meter under water. The total damage is 150,000 Euro.
Bavaria: In total 18 claims were reported to the Gartenbau-Versicherung from Bavaria with a total amount claimed of almost 250,000 Euro. Most of the damage occurred in the region Oberbayern, especially Chiemgau (districts Rosenheim and Traunstein). Both glasshouse horticultural companies and those cultivating in open ground were hit. In Passau a grower, who specializes in plants was severely damaged. The cultures of this horticulturist became totally unsaleable. The damage insured with GV is about 50,000 Euro. The German media reported about the company as well. This started assistance by growers from Saarland, who supplied Summer flowers to the Passau company for a while.
Baden-Württemberg: Four companies from Baden-Württemberg reported claims due to flooding to the Gartenbau-Versicherung with a total value of about 35,000 Euro. One of these companies - a container tree nursery with berries - is in Lauffen. Here the Neckar burst its banks flooding a large part of the company area. At least half of the cultures were damaged. The amount of the claim is 25,000 Euro.