Published on 20.03.2020 under farm advice
Covid-19 and Agriculture
Effects of the corona pandemic
The rapid spread of the corona virus not only presents immense challenges nationwide, but also massively the economy and increasingly regional agriculture.
This can be seen most clearly in the many vegetable growers who now have to do without seasonal workers who remain at home out of concern for possible contagion, travel restrictions or border closures. The start of the asparagus season (usually in mid-April) is currently a particular challenge for German farmers. As Europe's largest producer of fine vegetables with almost 130.000 tons[1] Asparagus per season, the local businesses are urgently dependent on the workforce from abroad. In comparison: Spain, the second largest European producer, produced just under 2017 tons of asparagus in 64.000.
State support for farms
According to a report by the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung [2] Agriculture Minister Julia Klöckner is considering letting employees in the catering sector, who are unemployed due to corona-related closures, help out in the fields. It remains questionable whether and to what extent this can be achieved. In addition to this "unconventional path", the Federal Minister of Agriculture promised the German farmers fundamental government support.
Nevertheless, the farmers are concerned. Many farms are sole proprietorships or family businesses. How should it be dealt with if employees or the farmer themselves drop out due to illness or are suspected of being infected with Covid 19? Who can take on the farm duties when the workforce is down or in quarantine?
Many questions regarding the Covid 19 pandemic remain open
Against the background of digital transformation, questions about the efficient use of workers and resources, sustainable management and securing the future of the company are of great relevance for farmers. Over the next few months and years, these questions will become increasingly important.
How one can support farmers and their farms in their self-determination and future security with the help of technical and digital work aids as well as agricultural strategy and business model development is the central question that confronts us in the Innovation and agricultural advice from the matrix moves and drives. We want to be a reliable support to our partners and customers, especially under the current and future challenges.
Read here More about our work with and for farmers and agricultural engineering companies or feel free to contact us.
Cornelius Werring
Phone: 0211-75707-48
Email: innovationsberatung@matrix-gmbh.de
[1] https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/223466/umfrage/top-10-produzenten-von-spargel-weltweit/
[2] https://www.noz.de/deutschland-welt/politik/artikel/2016773/wegen-corona-bleiben-saisonarbeiter-fern-gastro-arbeiter-auf-die-felder
