Overview
- Stores across Germany now carry strawberries, with most packs sourced from Spain, Italy or Greece and only small volumes from domestic farms.
- The growers’ group VSSE says about half of a strawberry’s retail price is labor, and Germany’s €13.90 minimum wage lifts local costs above southern European producers.
- Price checks show discount chains advertising packs around €3.99, while smaller boxes of regional fruit often cost more per kilo early in the season.
- Flavor can differ because imported berries are picked less ripe to withstand long transport, whereas nearby fields sell fruit that is harvested riper.
- In the Munich area, farms plan May openings for field sales and self-picking, and prices are expected to ease once the main harvest boosts supply.