Germany: Hop crop up 13% in 2024

German farmers harvested significantly more hops in 2024, thanks to relatively favourable weather, the Federal Agricultural Information Centre (BZL) reported on August 18.

The total yield rose roughly 13% from the previous year to 46,536 tonnes, and was 35% higher than in 2022.

Despite the larger crop, industry experts say beer prices are unlikely to drop, as other production costs have also risen.

Hop growers are facing long-term challenges due to declining beer consumption.

Hops are essential for beer's flavour and long shelf life. They are a key ingredient alongside water, malt and yeast, with one hop plant typically producing enough for 400 to 1,000 litres of beer.

The world's largest hop-growing area is Bavaria's Hallertau region.

This year’s harvest is expected to begin at the end of August. About 1% of the crop is used for pharmaceuticals; the rest goes into beer production.