German fruit growers anticipate a higher cherry harvest this summer compared to the average recorded over the past decade. According to preliminary harvest estimates released by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) on Monday, the industry expects a total production of about 51,100 tons of sweet and sour cherries for 2026.
This projected harvest is expected to be 8.5% higher than the bumper year that preceded it (47,100 tons), and 13.5% above the average production from 2016 to 2025 (45,200 tons).
The national sweet cherry harvest, in particular, is projected to reach around 40,300 tons in 2026, representing an increase of 20.5% over the last ten-year average. Furthermore, growers expect an even higher yield compared to the already strong sweet cherry harvest last year, projecting an increase of 8.2%. Based on cultivation area covering approximately 5,600 hectares, the expected average yield is around 7.1 tons per hectare, which significantly surpasses the ten-year average of 5.8 tons per hectare, exceeding it by about 23.9%.
Regionally, Baden-Württemberg, the most significant state for sweet cherry cultivation, expects to harvest 19,200 tons on 2,600 hectares this year (+9.2% compared to the previous year). Lower Saxony anticipates a harvest of 5,100 tons from 500 hectares (+2.0% year-over-year), while Rhineland-Palatinate expects 3,800 tons from 660 hectares (+2.4% year-over-year).
In contrast, the national sour cherry harvest is estimated at about 10,800 tons for 2026, covering roughly 1,500 hectares. While this reflects a 9.6% increase from last year, the volume is projected to be 6.8% lower than the average of the past decade. This overall drop is linked to the fact that the sour cherry cultivation area has shrunk by approximately 25.2% since 2016. Despite the reduction in acreage, the expected yield performance is unusually strong; with an expected yield of 7.1 tons per hectare, it surpasses the ten-year average of 6.5 tons per hectare by about 9.8%.
Rhineland-Palatinate remains the most significant region for sour cherry farming, predicting a harvest of 3,100 tons from about 450 hectares (+17.8% year-over-year). Baden-Württemberg follows with 2,700 tons from approximately 240 hectares (+52.7% year-over-year), while Thuringia expects 1,600 tons, marking a decline of 14.9% compared to the previous year.
