German grain harvest forecast to fall 7% as drought hits Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg

The Deutscher Bauernverband forecasts Germany's 2026 grain harvest at 41.9m tonnes, down 7% year on year, with Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg facing losses of up to 20%.

Germany's 2026 grain harvest is forecast to fall to 41.9 million tonnes, a drop of roughly 7% from 2025, after drought and heat damaged crops across the south of the country.

The Deutscher Bauernverband (German Farmers' Association) expects Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg to bear the brunt, with grain losses of up to 20% in those two states, according to the Handelsblatt Today podcast on 19 August.

Joachim Rukwied, president of the association, said many farms face a strained economic situation and a liquidity crisis. He urged the federal government to move quickly on support measures.

The association wants the government to triple EU fertiliser aid to €180 million from the current €60 million. It is also asking for 80% of EU direct payments to be paid out in October 2026, well ahead of the normal schedule.

The requests come as Berlin and Brussels finalise the 2026 budget cycle and national aid packages. Neither government has yet said whether it will accept the demands.