Officials in Baden-Württemberg, in south-west Germany, have estimated that damage caused by last week's hailstorms to agricultural crops around the Lake Constance area may run as high as €40m, with around two-thirds of the region's 2,000ha of production understood to be destroyed.
In addition to toppled trees, damaged roofs and power lines, and even a derailed Inter-Regio Express train, agricultural crops in what is Germany's largest fruit-producing region have been hard hit.
In terms of fresh produce, the Lake Constance region is the country's leading supplier of a number of fresh fruits, including apples, strawberries, cherries, plums and apricots.
Baden-Württemberg's Minister for Food and Rural Areas, Peter Hauk, has visited the affected areas. 'We are examining all possibilities of relief measures for farmers,' he said.
However, the storm damage is expected to make it even more difficult for farmers to secure adequate insurance for their production in years to come.
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