Crop balance: lower quality and financial losses

Saxony's farmer president Torsten Krawczyk expects heavy financial losses despite an average grain harvest in the Free State. Operating costs play a not insignificant role in food production, Krawczyk said Friday at the presentation of the harvest balance sheet. The cost of fertilizers and crop protection products, as well as seed, energy and fuel, had skyrocketed to unprecedented heights, he said. Compared to the previous year, this will lead to financial losses of 20 to 30 percent.

Although the harvest volume is slightly above the average of the six-year average, there are still quality deficits in some grain varieties in addition to the increased production costs. The reason, he said, was persistent rain during the harvest phase at the end of July to the beginning of August.