Poor wheat harvest in Switzerland
Due to the warm and wet spring weather, this year's wheat harvest is expected to be very poor.
In Switzerland, wheat is the most widely produced grain.
The interim assessment shows that yields in terms of quantity and quality are far below average. This is attributed in part to the warm and wet spring weather.
Most wheat fields have already been harvested, but in some areas the fields are still standing and will not be harvested until later.
A non-representative survey of ten grain collection centres across Switzerland shows that wheat yields are very low everywhere. Quantities are significantly below average: between 30 and 60 kilograms per are. Hectolitre weights are also lower than in previous years.
Wheat varieties are heavily affected by mycotoxins, resulting in poor wheat quality. In some regions, more than half of the wheat had to be downgraded to feed wheat. Collection centre managers describe the situation as dramatic.
Losses of up to 60%
Corinne Mühlebach, president of the Association of Swiss Grain Collection Centres, describes the yield losses as significant. The problems vary by region: in some regions fungal infestation is particularly severe, while in others it is leaf diseases causing poorly ripened grains.
The warm and wet weather has led to fungal infestation and leaf diseases, while a lack of sunlight has impaired plant growth.
According to experts, weather fluctuations are a consequence of climate change. These unpredictable weather conditions could lead to further crop failures.
