As of: April 5, 2024, 10:45 p.m
By: Karolin Schaefer
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The red fruits look tempting in the supermarket, but it's better not to buy strawberries in April. Not just for the sake of the environment.
Bremen - Strawberries are rich in vitamin C and are therefore not only healthy, but also quite tasty: as early as April, supermarkets attract people with bright red fruits. But should the collective nut fruit end up in the shopping cart now? After all, the first fruits in Germany will not be harvested until May.
Buy strawberries in April? Not particularly environmentally friendly
The demand for strawberries is high, which is why the fruits are now imported on a large scale. The demand in Germany can hardly be met with our cultivation. That's why, according to
Öko-Test,
around 114,000 tons of strawberries come
from abroad every year. In addition to China, Spain is also one of the largest producers in the world.
Can harm health and the environment: It is better not to buy strawberries in April. © KH/imago
Accordingly, strawberries have had a long journey before the season in Germany. This is not particularly environmentally friendly. The red fruits are also grown in the Netherlands. They don't have to travel that far to the German supermarkets. According to
Utopia
, enormous amounts of energy are used to heat greenhouses when growing in the neighboring country.
Groundwater levels are falling: strawberries need a lot of water
According to the environmental organization WWF, strawberries need a lot of water to grow. On average, around 300 liters of water are needed to harvest one kilo of the red fruits. “This doesn’t necessarily have to be a problem as long as the strawberries come from regions where there is enough water. But if too many strawberries are grown in areas where there is a water shortage, it can have catastrophic effects,” said Johannes Schmiester, water specialist at WWF Germany.
Southern Spain's Doñana National Park - the most important wetland in Spain - is already struggling with a declining groundwater level. Here, strawberries are illegally grown on around 1,900 hectares and irrigated with illegally dug wells. The water shortage can therefore endanger the entire ecosystem, which provides a home for many bird species.
Susceptible to fungi: Strawberries are often treated with pesticides
As
Utopia
reported, strawberry plants are particularly susceptible to fungus and rot. That's why they are treated with pesticides on large plantations. The pesticides can be detected on 96 percent of the fruits from conventional cultivation - not exactly healthy. Strawberries from Morocco have recently even contained pathogens. In the United States, a child recently died after eating strawberries, presumably due to an allergic reaction.
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An alternative at this point would be organic strawberries. No pesticides are allowed to be used here. But the long journey from abroad often remains the same. Organic strawberries are generally more expensive. In addition,
Öko-Test
discovered
the spray spinosad during an examination of organic strawberries.
But you don't have to go without strawberries. The WWF recommends choosing locally grown strawberries. This not only supports local agriculture, but also shortens transport routes. Strawberries grow in Germany from May to August. They are not only available in the supermarket, you can even pick them yourself in the fields. If you want to enjoy the sweet fruits earlier, you should eat them in moderation and look for an organic seal. Particularly sustainable: Strawberry plants can grow easily in your own garden.