Günther: Food industry in a stable position

Saxony's Agriculture Minister Wolfram Günther (Greens) has attested to the good development of the food industry in the state. The industry is in a stable position, but has had turbulent years behind it, he said on Monday at the Green Week in Berlin. "Extreme weather, increased input prices and the shortage of skilled workers are challenging the industry. Added to this is an unhealthy dependence on fluctuating world market prices, increasingly complicated agricultural subsidies and unclear framework conditions after decades of misguided agricultural policy." The industry is under great pressure.

According to Günther, sales of regional and organic food have increased significantly in Saxony in recent years. "More money stays in the farms and in the region. And the inflation-driven price increases for organic food have been lower than for conventional food," emphasized the minister. A good range of organic regional and local foods also strengthens Saxony as a tourist destination and vice versa. "Saxony has a lot to offer here. We show this at the Green Week." The Free State is represented there by 38 companies and associations.

According to Günther, the Saxon food industry has so far coped well with the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic and the effects of the war in Ukraine. Turnover in 2023 was around 7.7 billion euros, roughly the same as in 2022 (around 7.6 billion). The figures are based on data from 355 companies with 20 or more employees. Economic development in the agricultural sector has recently been good overall - despite a sharp rise in producer and input prices, Günther emphasized. However, the sector had previously experienced difficult years for a variety of reasons.