Fungal infestation threatens grain harvest in Saxony

The persistent rain is threatening the grain harvest in Saxony. The current situation is "simply catastrophic", said Diana Henke, Managing Director of the state farmers' association, when asked. In some places, the crops are infested with fungus due to the persistent wet conditions and there is a risk of fungal infections. Farmers from the Vogtland region, for example, have reported corresponding problems.

"If you drive carefully through the regions, you can sometimes see that the wheat stocks there are darker," explained Henke. The dark coloration on the otherwise golden-yellow ears is a sign of fungal infestation.

Rain washes the starch out of the grain

There is a risk that the grain can only be used as fodder because the quality is no longer sufficient for baking. "The starch is washed out by the rain, which reduces the quality," said Henke. Alternatively, the grain would have to be dried at great expense - which in turn would entail high energy costs. Saxon farmers are therefore facing financial losses this year.

All in all, the harvest in Saxony is currently progressing slowly, with farmers having to take numerous rain breaks during the harvest. In northern Saxony, for example, farmers have been harvesting rapeseed over the past few days, where the moisture content is lower. Maize and sugar beet benefited from the rain and are doing well in the fields, according to the association. In the case of wheat and rye, however, the harvest "literally threatened to fall into the water", said Henke.

While summer is expected to return in the next few days with sunshine and drought, by then it may already be too late. "It looks bad for the grain," says Henke. At higher altitudes, such as in the Erzgebirge, the rye harvest will not be completed until later. Dry weather over the next few weeks could be an advantage there.