The lights are heading out at the as soon as happy center of German sea buckthorn growing. For several years, the strange death of sea buckthorn has actually been gnawing at the bushes in Mecklenburg-West Pomerania. Now, for the very first time in the business’s 40- year history, the harvest is stopping working for the leaders of the market, Sanddorn Storchennest GmbH in Ludwigslust.
Last year they got 4 heaps from the forests, in the very best years 120 lots. Will they ever return to the farm to cut the meter-long branches and the orange-red fruits? Business employer Silvia Hinrichs does not understand.
At the 2nd biggest business in the federal state, Forst Schneebecke in Alt Steinhorst near Rostock, the fruit is collected for the last time on 6 rough hectares nowadays. Sea buckthorn plantations are then damaged, states owner Benedikt Schneebecke. He wishes to grow Christmas trees there in the future. When he grew sea buckthorn on 70 hectares.
Years of battling and hope
Years of battling, attempting and hoping lag both business. For about 10 years, the sea buckthorn plant in the northeast has actually ended up being progressively aggressive. The bush in the field dries up, 10 times, then the entire field. It might be dry spell tension, professionals stated. Schneebecke attempted to water it, however it didn’t assist. Wildlife reserves on the coast are likewise passing away. Now Schneebecke quits.
Germany’s biggest natural farm for sea buffalo in Ludwigslust was 117 hectares, perfectly dispersed around the baroque city. Practically whatever is dead, states Hinrichs. There are still about 10 hectares with living plants.
The business was a leader in Germany. When the management of the GDR chose to begin explore cold, vitamin-rich fruits due to a persistent lack of foreign currency, Ludwigslust existed. The shrub, belonging to the Himalayas, grows in sandy soil. Farming has actually been industrial given that the early 1980 s and endured the fall of the Wall.
Tasty and healthy at the exact same time
Sea buckthorn is a popular specific niche item and is utilized in creams, liqueurs, jams, ice cream and mustard. Sea buckthorn items are amongst the most popular presents for Baltic Sea travelers– they are yummy and healthy at the exact same time. According to the AOK medical insurance business, sea buckthorn fruits are especially helpful due to their high vitamin C material. 100 grams of fruit consist of up to 1300 milligrams of vitamin C. Lemons, on the other hand, have just 51 milligrams per 100 grams. Sea buckthorn is not called “northern lemon” for absolutely nothing.
” It’s really unfortunate,” states Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania’s fruit growing expert, Rolf Hornig. “Cultivation of sea buckthorn had a high local cultural worth.” At the start of 2021, a three-year research study task started with the involvement of the Julius Kühn Institute to discover the reason for the death of sea buckthorn. Far, Hornig has actually been not able to report success. “We’re all at a little a loss.” As long as this holds true, I can not advise anybody to grow sea buckthorn.
In Ludwigslust they still have a twinkle of hope. “We replant 3 or 4 hectares every year,” states Hinrichs. Possibly the factor will be discovered quickly. He has actually observed that sea buckthorn wilt starts dependably when the bushes flourish for the very first time in a couple of years. Numerous of the previous seaweed farms in Ludwigslust would be transformed to natural farming. Experiments are likewise finished with walnuts, hazelnuts and aronia fruits.
Outside of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, dieback of sea buckthorn does not seem an issue up until now. From what is now Germany’s biggest grower, Christine Berger GmbH & Co. KG in Werder, Brandenburg, it is stated that no damage can be seen on 150 hectares of natural farms. The harvest formally starts at the start of September. Ralf Donath from Seydaland United Agrarbetriebe GmbH & Co. KG in Jessen in Saxony-Anhalt has actually not seen any death on his business’s 125 hectares of sea buckthorn fields. “I hope we will be conserved,” he states. According to the Federal Statistics Office, about 740 lots of sea buckthorn were gathered from 228 hectares of plantations throughout the nation in 2015.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 220823-99-483539/ 2 ( By Iris Leithold, dpa)
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