Harvest report: August 2026

Weather conditions during the growing phase

The winter wheat, sown in late 2025, saw good development in the autumn and winter months. No major or widespread winter damage was reported. At the start of spring, the crop condition in many regions was still good, and yield potential was initially maintained.

From March, and especially during April, growing conditions in large parts of France, Germany, and the surrounding regions were generally average. Although sunny and drier periods occurred, the spring as a whole was not exceptionally dry or sunny. Furthermore, winter wheat was able to benefit from the moisture reserves built up during the winter, meaning crop development in this phase generally proceeded without major problems.

The relatively high spring temperatures did, however, lead to rapid crop development. Elongation and ear formation took place earlier than average, and in various regions, development was about one to one and a half weeks ahead of a normal season. From the second half of May, extremely high temperatures affected conditions locally, causing development to accelerate further and evaporation to increase sharply. Moreover, in Belgium and Northern France, the heatwave coincided with the flowering period. As a result, flower burn occurred locally, leading to the formation of fewer grains per ear. This had a negative impact on yields in these regions. At the same time, the predominantly sunny periods ensured that pressure from fungal diseases and mycotoxins remained relatively low.

However, the situation varied significantly by region, soil type, and amount of local precipitation. Local rain showers provided temporary relief and, in some places, arrived in time to support grain setting and grain filling (primarily regions in Germany). On drier plots with limited water reserves, crop development remained under significantly more pressure. In particular, the combination of drought and high temperatures during the final developmental stages led to a shortening of the grain filling period.

Harvest forecast

Despite the dry conditions, the crop status remained relatively good in many areas until late May and early June. As a result, initial yield expectations remained positive. However, as temperatures continued to rise and the drought persisted during grain filling, forecasts were gradually adjusted downwards.

Due to the exceptionally rapid development, ripening also started earlier. In various French and German regions, the grain harvest began approximately one to two weeks earlier than usual. Thanks to the predominantly dry weather, the harvest proceeded smoothly in many areas, limiting the risk of prolonged harvest interruptions, sprouting, and sharply declining falling numbers. However, the combination of heat and inadequate soil moisture availability resulted in a shortened grain-filling period. This causes a lower thousand-grain weight and the presence of a large number of smaller grains, which remain on the sieve during cleaning.

On the other hand, dry and sunny conditions during ripening are generally favourable for grain quality and the maintenance of falling numbers. Good protein levels can also be expected in various locations. However, the final quality will vary significantly between regions and plots, with soil type, available moisture reserves, and the timing of precipitation during grain filling playing a particularly important role.

2026 Wheat Harvest Quality

Compared to the 2025 harvest, we currently observe the following trends in relation to wheat quality:

• moisture content is on average lower than last year, although regional differences are visible,

• protein content is in line with expectations

• hectolitre weights are somewhat higher, but vary depending on the region

• falling numbers are on average slightly higher than last year, although we also see regional differences here

The table below shows the current trend in wheat quality compared to the previous harvest.

This concerns an average trend based on the wheat batches we have received to date. The number of batches is currently still relatively limited. As more wheat from the new harvest is supplied and processed, the picture will be further refined.

Due to the exceptionally low water levels in various rivers such as the Rhine, Danube, Main and Moselle at the moment, the picture in terms of quality from a number of key supply regions currently remains incomplete. The final assessment of harvest quality in these regions will therefore only be possible once larger volumes become available.

Partly due to the low water levels, the incorporation of the new harvest is proceeding slower than planned (see attached harvest curve).

For the time being, we are not observing any major changes in the bakery in terms of water absorption or kneading. Taking into account the hot temperatures of the past few weeks, the usual points of attention regarding dough temperature and process control remain important.

2026 Rye Harvest Quality

We expect the first batches of new harvest rye from week 38 onwards.

Based on the new harvest receipts at our German sister org

anisation, the following changes are observable compared to the 2025 harvest:

well-developed rye grains

falling numbers are higher on average

The table below shows the current trend in rye quality compared to the previous harvest.

As soon as more new harvest (wheat and rye) has been received and processed, an update will follow with additional information regarding the baking properties.