{
  "id": 763396,
  "title": "Agriculture: \"Grain burning\": Drought reduces harvest 2026",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/13/landwirtschaft-getreide-verbrennt-durre-schmalert-ernte-2026",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-13T11:42:21.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Handelsblatt",
    "slug": "handelsblatt",
    "url": "https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/deutschland/landwirtschaft-getreide-verbrennt-duerre-schmaelert-ernte-2026/100247080.html"
  },
  "original_language": "de",
  "account": "Scorching sun, weeks without rain: the long drought this summer is hitting the harvest hard in parts of Germany, according to an industry assessment. Since mid-June alone, around three million tons of grain and rapeseed have been lost, the German Raiffeisen Association announced, representing 1,600 cooperative companies in agricultural trade and processing. Losses are mainly occurring in the south. Low water levels in several rivers are also making grain transports by inland ship more difficult.\n\nAfter an estimate, the Raiffeisen Association expects a significantly smaller harvest of 40.6 million tons of grain, compared to 45 million tons in 2025. \"Only the favorable weather in spring prevented greater damage,\" said market expert Guido Seedler. However, a heatwave with temperatures sometimes over 40 degrees Celsius began in mid-June. \"Then the grain really burns,\" he said, referring to winter wheat, for example. This led to overall losses in quantity and quality, causing revenue losses of around 600 million euros.\n\nIn the south, losses of up to 20 percent are expected. There are large regional differences in harvest prospects, Seedler emphasized. \"For example, in Schleswig-Holstein, we expect yields almost at the previous year's level.\" Elsewhere in the north and east, the situation is largely average. The further south, the more problematic it becomes, especially in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. There, grain losses of up to 20 percent are expected, and corn is particularly at risk of withering completely.\n\nRapeseed is also expected to decline - not due to lack of rain, but rather due to pests that could not be controlled, thanks to the deep roots of the plants. The estimates for the harvest are based on yield forecasts from cooperative companies.\n\nOverall, the 2026 harvest will be sufficient but below average, Seedler explained. \"Nevertheless, the losses on the final stretch are a hard blow for the agricultural industry, which is already suffering from strong cost increases.\"\n\nA harvest of 40 million tons would theoretically cover Germany's expected demand. Therefore, it is not expected that consumer prices for bread and rolls will rise, especially since the share of grain in the final price is in the low cent range. However, energy, labor, and bureaucracy costs are driving prices.\n\nThe industry is concerned about the low water levels in several rivers, as inland ships also transport grain or fertilizers. \"Waterways are the central lifeline for the transport of agricultural goods,\" said Philipp Spinne, a member of the Raiffeisen Association's board.\n\nFor the current harvest, the cooperatives' storage capacities are large enough. However, the further transport to export ports in the North and Baltic Seas and to processing facilities must be ensured. \"The grain must get to the mills.\"\n\nSpinne said: \"Due to the low water levels, many ships can currently only be loaded up to a third of their usual cargo.\" And it must be acknowledged that \"short-term outages cannot be fully compensated by road or rail.\" One inland ship replaces around 40 fully loaded tractor-trailers.\n\nThe situation is particularly tense for animal feed. \"Animals eat daily, they must be supplied.\" Price increases for fertilizers were not a major issue for the current harvest. However, the situation looks more problematic for 2027. Many farmers are holding back on orders from cooperatives, hoping for lower prices for nitrogen fertilizers. However, this poses risks, warned Spinne. Without early orders, traders and importers also hold back on building up inventory levels, which could mean that the required quantities for spring may not be available in time.",
  "summary": "Combine harvesters are still at work on some fields. But after a lot of heat and little water, the yield prospects of farmers in some regions are depressed. Will this be reflected in supermarket prices?",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}