In many places, farmers struggle with dry spells. Rolf Oehler (64), Head of Authority at AELF Holzkirchen, explains why our district is doing so well.
District - Mr. Oehler, wet winter, dry spring: Germany's farmers have brought in less harvest for the third time this year than the average of the five years before. Does that also apply to the Miesbach district?
No. Overall, it has rained enough in the Miesbach district, even in recent years. From an average of 1300 liters per square meter per year in the north in the municipality of Otterfing to over 1500 liters in the southern district. That is the reason why around 92 percent of the agricultural area in the district is used as permanent grassland and only eight percent as arable land. Grassland can best utilize high rainfall.
Are there still problems?
In recent years we have had reduced yields on individual areas on permeable soils that can store little water, or on southern slopes on grassland areas, but also with arable crops. Sometimes a complete cut failed in the grassland. In my experience, this loss of income is compensated for in the following cuts by higher yields. In the case of grain and maize, this has led to lower yields on individual areas in the last two years and in some cases this year as well.
So there are enough supplies in winter this year, for example with hay?
The feed stocks, including those of hay and grummet, are sufficient this year. In some cases, the grassland yields were even very good this year, as the harvesting conditions were largely ideal.
Is climate change still manifesting itself on our doorstep?
Everyone feels the climate change. Above all, the cold winters with high amounts of snow, which stay longer and then slowly release the stored water back into the ground in spring when the snow melts, do not occur. However, this is more of a problem for forestry than agriculture. Extreme weather situations are increasing: like the snowy winter of 2018/19 with the catastrophic warmth and rain phase that immediately followed, or individual heavy rainfall, in which the water reserves in the ground are no longer replenished, but rather run off quickly on the surface. However, due to its high proportion of grassland, the district of Miesbach is not as badly affected as the areas in northern Upper Bavaria.
In view of the meteorological turbulence, would state-supported multi-risk insurance make sense?
This is not an issue for the Miesbach district. The greater danger to arable crops such as maize and grain is hailstorm. This damage can already be insured now.
Still, should farmers be better prepared for extreme weather conditions overall?
Most of our farmers are very well trained. In our agricultural school in Holzkirchen, sustainable cultivation of the soil, in particular maintaining high soil fertility - and thus high water storage capacity - is a focus of the training. In this way, our future operations managers are also optimally prepared for dealing with climate change. Therefore, attending the agricultural school is an absolute must for companies that want to continue to operate successfully.
Finally, a look at another low: To what extent is the corona crisis affecting farmers?
Sales of all agricultural products, especially dairy products via hotels and restaurants, which are important for our farmers, declined during the Corona lockdown period. There were also sales problems at individual dairies that are more export-oriented.