EU: Hops, a crop with export opportunities
Following bad weather conditions last year that have severely affected the harvest of hops in the EU, one of the main areas of work of the president of the working group “Hops” of farmers and agricultural cooperatives COPA-COGECA, Bernard Ingwiller will improve yields and creating export opportunities.
The increase in yields and expansion of export opportunities hops are the main priorities for farmers and cooperatives in the sector. From Brussels, Mr. Ingwiller has stated that its goal is to increase yields to ensure balance between supply and demand. “Currently, the most important issues for the sector are plant health and export opportunities. Intensify efforts in these areas “, he underlined.
The figures discussed at the meeting of the working group show a sharp decline in the production of hops in the EU last year, reaching only 38,980.15 tonnes in 2015, compared to 49 356.37 tonnes in 2014. This decrease is due especially bad weather for hop production in major producing countries conditions. The general trend is an increase in aromatic varieties and most countries have already sold their harvest.
In 2015, Germany, the main producing country in Europe, recorded a record temperature in August with a total production of 28,336.52 tons. The cultivated area decreased from 16% at the expense of the two main varieties. Czech Republic – the second largest producer in the EU – was also affected by unusually high temperatures with a harvest of 4,843 tons. Production decreased by 22% compared to 2014. The production was 1,975 tons in Poland, 1,357 tons in the UK, Spain 950 tonnes, 555 tonnes and 298 tonnes in France in Austria.
Mr. Ingwiller, member of the French agricultural organization FNSEA, is a producer of hops in Alsace (FR) and president of the cooperative Cophoudal hop producers. He will be assisted in his work by two vice presidents, Mr. Zdenek Rosa de AKCR (CZ) and Ms. Blanka Wyroslak of FBZPR (PL).
Source: COPA-COGECA
COPA-COGECA, hops, EU, export
