Germany expects its 2026 apple harvest to reach roughly 934,000 tonnes, nearly 18 percent below last year's record crop and about 53,000 tonnes short of the ten-year average, as prolonged heat and drought have damaged orchards across the country.
Dry conditions have caused fruit to drop prematurely, remain undersized or suffer sunburn, while hail destroyed entire yields at some farms. Regional outcomes vary widely: Thuringia anticipates a decline of more than 45 percent from its long-term average, whereas Baden-Württemberg expects a slightly above-average crop. Apples remain Germany's most harvested tree fruit, with Baden-Württemberg and Niedersachsen together producing roughly two-thirds of the national output.
Stone fruit offers a brighter picture. The plum and damson harvest is estimated at more than 49,000 tonnes, over 11 percent above the decade average, though still down slightly from 2025.