Germany's 2026 grain harvest seen down 7% on dry spring, heatwave

Germany's 2026 grain harvest is expected to drop by 7% year-on-year to 41.9 million metric tons, according to the country's main farming association, DBV. The decline follows an unusually dry spring and a record-breaking heatwave in June that damaged crops across key growing regions.

DBV President Joachim Rukwied said southern and western Germany were particularly affected, with a lack of rain leading to poor yields and, in some cases, complete crop failures for certain varieties.

The winter wheat crop, used primarily for flour and bread, is projected to fall 7% to 20.9 million tons. Winter rapeseed, which is processed into edible oil and biodiesel, is expected to see a sharper decline of 20%, with production estimated at 3.3 million tons. Rukwied noted that location played a significant role in rapeseed yield variability.

Winter barley, typically grown for animal feed, is forecast to remain flat at 9.5 million tons, helped by larger cultivated areas and an early harvest.

The association also flagged mounting concerns for livestock farmers, particularly regarding feed supplies. In the worst-affected regions, grass has not regrown since the first cuts, limiting both current feed availability and the ability to build winter reserves. DBV expects some farmers may need to reduce their livestock numbers as a result.

Germany is one of the European Union's largest producers of wheat and rapeseed. The country's association of farm cooperatives, DRV, issued similar forecasts last week, projecting total grain output at 40.61 million tons, winter wheat at 19.1 million tons, and winter barley at 9.31 million tons.