News

Europe is in hops crisis

Hop
Published Nov 19, 2022

Tridge summary

The dry summer of 2022 has led to a drop in the hop harvest and a decline in product quality for European producers. Alternatively, hydroponic cultivation of a valuable brewing crop directly at the factory is offered.

Original content

Copa-Cogeca, an organization representing European farmers and the EU agri-food sector, recently published a report highlighting the sharp decline in hop production on farms. Citing extreme weather caused by global warming as a major factor, the organization predicts a 28.6% decline in hop crops this year compared to 2021, writes James Davies in an article published by FoodIngredientsFirst. The entity also provides for a 37.8% reduction in the production of alpha acids, one of the main bitter compounds in hops. In addition to the EU's own hop industry, which is already struggling with rising production costs such as fertilizer prices and labor costs, this poor harvest marks a setback for both the brewing industry and beer drinkers, as beer it gets more expensive. “In the biggest EU producing country, Germany, hop yield and quality in 2022 were much lower than in 2021 (-28.6% yield and -40.3% alpha acid content) due to drought, heat and hail. On average, additional costs of €2,500 ...
Source: Agrolink
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