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Agriculture in Germany - statistics & facts

The number of agricultural businesses in Germany has dwindled significantly. If there were around 904,700 businesses in 1975, in 2023 there were 255,000. On the one hand, farmers have to contend with agricultural legislation and various issues to keep their businesses alive, such as deliveries to and from abroad, as well as hiring workers from other countries during harvest season. On the other hand, industrial and technological advancements have allowed for work which required copious amounts of labor in previous decades to be completed with less human interaction. Employee numbers have been decreasing in recent years. The leading expectations of the population from agricultural businesses were animal husbandry appropriate to the species and fair pay for employees.

Feeding the nation

Germany currently has the largest population in the EU and it is also one of the richest countries in Europe. But how sufficient is its agriculture for the population's needs? The self-sufficiency rate is an important indicator of the agricultural sector. It is a percentage of necessary agricultural products produced in a country on its own. A shortage is defined by a self-sufficiency rate under 100 percent, which is when additional imports may be included. In 2023, fresh milk products had a self-sufficiency rate of around 114 percent, thus indicating that Germany is more than able to supply the nation with these products domestically. For comparison, the self-sufficiency rate for fruit was roughly 20 percent that same year, as there are quite a few types that do not grow on German soil, but are still popular and in demand. Low self-sufficiency rates mean that agricultural sectors in other countries may focus especially on certain exports, such as fruit that grows in warmer climates than Germany. In 2022, Germany imported around 14.13 million tons of fresh fruits and vegetables.

The price of sustainability

German agriculture netted around 64.88 billion euros in revenue in 2023. That same year, mixed agriculture was the most profitable, followed by agricultural services and grain cultivation (pulses and oilseeds). Mixed agriculture, more widely known as mixed farming, involves growing crops and raising animals on one property, creating a farm that serves multiple agricultural purposes. Agricultural services include a broad range of activities and are defined by contributing to agricultural production. Progress is being made in organic farming, which becomes ever more relevant in the context of global climate change and ongoing environmental concerns. Organic farming aims to use sustainable methods, relying on non-chemical, natural fertilizers and pesticides. These come from animal and plant waste. The challenges involved include higher product prices for consumers and therefore lower yields for producers.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Apr 18, 2024

Key insights

Number of agricultural businesses in Germany
255k
Number of organic farming businesses in Germany
36.54k
Number of agricultural tractors registered in Germany
2m
Get more insights

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Development of farm animal population in Germany between 1900 and 2023 (in millions)

Livestock

Development of farm animal population Germany 1900-2023

Hectarage for organic farming in Germany from 1995 to 2023 (in hectares)

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Hectarage for organic farming Germany Germany 1995-2023

Per capita consumption of vegetables in Germany from 1950/51 to 2022/23 (in kilograms)

Fruit & Vegetables

Per capita consumption of vegetables in Germany 1950/51-2022/23

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