In the summer of this year, German orchards experienced a below-average cherry harvest, significantly less than initially estimated. According to the final estimates from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) as of August 20, a total of 40,200 tons of cherries were picked. Compared to the above-average yield of 48,700 tons in 2022, this represented a decrease of about 8,500 tons, or 17.5%.
It was also 14.7% smaller compared to the average yield from 2013 to 2022, which was 47,100 tons. The initial preliminary estimate made on June 10, 2023, had projected a harvest of 45,400 tons. The lower cherry harvest was attributed to factors such as an early flowering season, late frosts in certain regions, which negatively affected the fruits, as well as pest infestations and local storms with heavy rainfall leading to reduced yields.
The final estimate for the sweet cherry harvest in 2023, according to Destatis, was 32,400 tons, which was 6,100 tons, or 15.9%, less than the previous year and 900 tons, or 2.8%, less than the ten-year average of 33,300 tons.
Sweet cherries are cultivated on a total of 5,700 hectares in Germany, with Baden-Württemberg being the largest state with 2,600 hectares and harvesting over 42% of the popular fruits, totaling 13,800 tons. Niedersachsen ranked second with 5,000 tons of sweet cherries from 500 hectares, followed by Rheinland-Pfalz with 2,800 tons from 700 hectares.
Read the full article: Fruchthandel
13 Mar 2026
Research published in Scientific Reports shows that PGPR bacteria Pantoea ananatis and Bacillus aryabhattai increase salt stress tolerance in the Gisela 6 cherry rootstock, improving plant growth, photosynthesis efficiency and antioxidant defenses under saline soil conditions.
14 Dec 2023
Meet Gregory Lang, a horticulture trailblazer with roots in Ohio and a passion for fruit production. part of Cherry Times Technical-Scientific Committee.
26 Oct 2026
Godolesh, near Elbasan in Albania, is a distinctive cherry-growing area. Its native variety, annual output of around 700 tonnes and sustainable practices support ambitions to reach European markets, from Italy to Germany, building on quality, origin and tradition.
23 Oct 2026
Spring rains in Chile have split early cherries in the north, while damage in O’Higgins, which accounts for over 80% of production, remains marginal so far. Growers are monitoring fungal disease, saturated soils and potential impacts on Chile’s 2026/27 cherry crop.
