Germany produced a total of 1.33m tonnes of fruit during 2008, some 7 per cent less than in the previous year, according to new research published by analyst ZMP.
The largest downturn came for stonefruit, with frosts during last year's Easter holidays leading to what ZMP described as 'massive losses' for the main varieties, with plums also suffering.
Hailstorms in Baden also added to the losses, the company reported, while a higher volume of cherries enabled that particular category to withstand the hail and register an annual rise in production.
Meanwhile, the 2008 German apple crop was smaller than in the previous season, but remained above average.
Domestic strawberry volumes were also down year-on-year, with a dry, hot spring in northern Germany leading to noticeably lower yields.
Germany's blueberry harvest last year was, said ZMP, 'the smallest in the past few years'.
