The strawberry season started at the usual time but was prolonged by relatively low temperatures at the beginning. Strawberry farms had an average of eight to nine weeks of strawberries, which is an unusually long period. The early season went well thanks to optimal weather conditions. Heavy rainfall and hail before Pentecost, as well as high temperatures in recent days, made the strawberry season significantly more difficult. In some areas, slow ripening and crop failures due to the rain around Pentecost led to a shortage of strawberries, but this ensured price stability on the market. Overall, the beautiful weather stimulated the appetite for fresh strawberries, so that demand for domestic strawberries has been high since the start of the season.
In Southern Germany, late varieties such as Cadenza, Marieka, and Malwina will continue to be harvested until the beginning of July. However, strawberries from remontant strawberry plants will still be available throughout the summer and into the fall.
"The weather has made this a great year for strawberries, with high demand and mostly stable prices. Unfortunately, there was a price drop early in the season that couldn't be explained by large harvests, quality issues, or weak demand. This shows that the market is out of balance at times and is no longer regulated solely by supply and demand. This is a cause of great concern to us, especially in view of the impending minimum wage increase from 2026, which will put strawberry farms under even greater pressure. We are calling for an exemption for labor-intensive vegetable and fruit production," explains Simon Schumacher, spokesperson for the Association of South German Asparagus and Strawberry Growers (VSSE).
Aromatic fruits, lower harvest volumes, largely stable market situation
Thanks to moderate temperatures and only a few hot days, the strawberries were able to slowly develop their aroma, resulting in very flavorful fruits. "Overall, strawberry farms can be satisfied with the season. The weather was fantastic. The cool nights prolonged the season, giving strawberry farms focusing on seasonal production eight to nine weeks of strawberries. That is longer than average. There were shortages at times, but this stabilized prices," explains Christof Steegmüller, strawberry cultivation consultant for Southern Germany.
"The second half of the season, starting at Pentecost, was significantly more difficult than the first few weeks. The rainfall had varying effects on the farms. It was interesting to note that in Hesse, the Malwina variety ripened very late, which made it somewhat difficult to keep up with the mid-season varieties. The new mid-late variety Cadenza is proving to be very promising. It ripens slightly earlier than Malwina and could replace it in the future," summarizes Katrin Hetebrügge, a strawberry cultivation consultant in southern Hesse.
"We expect below-average yields overall for this year. In some locations, there were problems with heavy rain and hail, resulting in crop losses. Due to the weather, strawberry quantities have been and remain rather scarce, and the market is receptive. Direct marketers are generally satisfied with the sales situation. The late varieties are still producing, but the main season will end relatively quickly at the beginning of July. Then there are strawberries from the remontant varieties, i.e., the ever-bearing plants," summarizes Steffen Finder, berry fruit consultant in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Consumer prices for strawberries do not reflect the market situation
Average consumer prices across all marketing channels for German strawberries were roughly at the same level as last year until calendar week 20. The price decline in week 21 could not be explained by the market situation. Only in week 22 was the consumer price significantly above the previous year's level. In weeks 24/25, strawberry prices rose again but remained below the previous year's consumer prices. With the current shortage of German strawberries, prices are continuing to rise.