Strawberry Season Officially Opens in Baden-Württemberg: Regional Production in Focus

Oberkirch, Germany – The strawberry season in Baden-Württemberg is officially underway. State Secretary Sabine Kurtz (MdL) from the Ministry for Nutrition, Rural Areas and Consumer Protection launched the 2025 season at an event in Oberkirch, Ortenaukreis.

Speaking at the opening, Kurtz emphasized the significance of local strawberry cultivation:

“The domestic strawberry season is about to begin. The success story of this fruit, a favorite among consumers, started in the southwest in the late 1960s. Thanks to sunny locations, fertile soils, and the expertise of our growers, Baden-Württemberg offers ideal conditions for strawberry farming. Particularly along the Rhine, around Lake Constance, and near Heilbronn, strawberries thrive – and nothing beats their taste when freshly harvested from the region.”

According to the ministry, strawberries are cultivated on more than 2,000 hectares across the state. Of that, around 500 hectares are under protective tunnels, a method gaining prominence as traditional open-field cultivation declines.

“Strawberries are primarily sold through regional markets and direct-to-consumer outlets,” said Kurtz. “They’re only available seasonally, which, along with their taste and health benefits, makes them especially popular. Current per capita consumption in Germany stands at 3.3 kilograms annually.”

To help consumers identify high-quality regional products, strawberries grown under environmentally responsible and integrated cultivation practices in Baden-Württemberg are marked with the Baden-Württemberg Quality Seal (QZBW) or the Organic Seal of Baden-Württemberg (BIOZBW).

Background and Outlook

Under typical growing conditions, Baden-Württemberg produces about 25,000 tonnes of strawberries annually. The state accounts for more than 18% of Germany’s total strawberry cultivation area, with 2,381 hectares dedicated to production.

Protected cultivation using plastic tunnels can yield up to twice as much as open-field farming, depending on the weather. Today, 20% of the state’s productive strawberry fields use this method. Throughout the season, various strawberry varieties reach the market, offering diversity in ripening time, size, color, and flavor.

As the season progresses, consumers can look forward to a wide selection of locally grown strawberries, reaffirming Baden-Württemberg’s role as a key hub in Germany’s strawberry production.