German farmers demand EU triple fertiliser aid to €180m as drought bites
The German Farmers' Association has demanded the EU raise its fertiliser subsidy to €180 million from €60 million and advance 80% of direct payments to October as drought threatens harvests.
The German Farmers' Association has demanded that the EU triple its fertiliser subsidy to €180 million from €60 million as drought threatens total crop failure across southern Germany.
Joachim Rukwied, president of the Deutscher Bauernverband, told Phoenix TV in an interview reported by Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that political support was needed immediately. He also called for 80% of EU direct payments to be advanced to October and for diesel taxes to be cut significantly until at least the end of November.
The association expects below-average harvests for wheat, rapeseed, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beet, grain maize and soybeans. In southern Germany some farmers face total crop failure, while fodder shortages have already forced early livestock slaughter.
What the association wants
| Measure | Current | Requested |
|---|---|---|
| EU fertiliser subsidy (Düngemittelbeihilfe) | €60 million | €180 million |
| EU direct payment advance | Standard schedule | 80% paid in October 2026 |
| Diesel tax | Existing rate | Cut until at least end-November 2026 |
Source: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung / Phoenix interview
Why it matters now
The request lands during a heatwave that Germany's environment minister has estimated is costing the economy €500 million a day. Agriculture is particularly exposed because crop damage is irreversible and livestock farmers are running down fodder stocks.
Tripling the fertiliser subsidy would require either fresh EU budget allocation or reprogramming of existing farm funds. The demand to advance direct payments to October is administratively simpler, though it would shift cash flows earlier than planned.
What to watch
The European Commission has not responded to the demands. Germany's federal agriculture ministry will face pressure to back the package at the next EU agriculture council, where member states are already debating emergency measures after drought damage in France, Italy and Spain.
FAZ Wirtschaft published the interview at 01:55 on 14 August 2026.
