The strawberry season in the Rhine-Main region starts early this year.
The mild winter has given the plants a head start, as Reiner Paul, managing director of Paul's farm in Hofheim-Wallau, said.
Harvest is expected to start around April 17th on his farm.
The Clery and Allegro varieties, which ripen early, are then picked first.
On the farm's fields around Wallau and Wiesbaden-Nordenstadt, the growth of the plants and the ripening of the fodder are accelerated with polytunnels, as Paul explained.
According to him, an earlier start of harvest is possible compared to outdoor cultivation.
Jan Schiefenhoevel
Editor in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.
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The foil tunnels have a similar effect to a greenhouse, in sunny weather the air underneath heats up to 30 degrees.
However, the films do not protect against the cold at night, so that the temperatures then drop to just above freezing point.
However, the heat during the day accelerates the ripening.
According to the managing director, eight hectares of the fields on his farm are equipped with solar tunnels.
When it comes to prices, customers have to reckon with the fact that the increases in spending on fuel and the minimum wage will make themselves felt.
In the Rhine-Main area, Hofheim's neighboring town of Kriftel is one of the main growing areas for strawberries.
The fruits are freshest when sold directly at the edge of the field.
Strawberries from the region are otherwise offered at weekly markets and in supermarkets.
The season lasts until the end of July, when the late varieties ripen.