Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU), along with members of his cabinet, hosted Apple and Blossom Queens from various German growing regions this Wednesday for the annual “Apple Cabinet.” According to the Chancellery, this tradition, which has been part of the Berlin government’s calendar since 1976, is meant to honor the work done in fruit cultivation. However, the recent harvest has been challenging. This year, fruit farmers collected around 890,600 tons of apples, a decrease of 22 percent compared to the previous year. This poor yield was caused by damage from intense heat, drought, and hail. Furthermore, the total cultivated area for apples has also seen a slight decline.
Politics
