Growing fears: How the minimum wage is burdened by agriculture

Growing fears: How the minimum wage is burdened by agriculture

In the current discussion about increasing the minimum wage, a topic is repeatedly debated: The effects on agriculture and in particular the seasonal workers. As the Bietigheimer Zeitung reports, retail is different to raise the minimum wage. While many companies in agriculture are concerned with their competitiveness, the Bönnigheimer Apfelland Sartorius supports the minimum lighter increase and at the same time expresses concerns about the reactions of the food retail trade. The competition through cheaper foreign products is a challenge for many farmers.

seasonal workers who make an important contribution to domestic food supply are not easy in this context. According to the 2023 agricultural count, a total of 876,000 workers in agriculture were employed in Germany. Of these, 243,000 seasonal workers, which usually only work in Germany for a short period of time, were accommodated and did not have to pay any social security contributions. This gives you an advantage over local workers who have to deal under the new conditions. Sartorius makes it clear that no industrial wages can be paid in agriculture and calls for a special regulation for this industry.

changes and challenges

The statutory minimum wage has been raised to 12.82 euros gross per hour since January 1, 2025, which is a significant burden for many companies. Farmers' President Joachim Rukwied criticizes the planned increase in the minimum wage to up to 14.60 euros by 2027 and suggests that seasonal workers should only receive 80 percent of the minimum wage. However, this proposal is decidedly rejected by the SPD-led Federal Ministry of Labor, which further exacerbates the situation for farmers.

support and perspectives

Minister Rainer announces that it can create relief in a different form, for example by reducing bureaucratics and reducing electricity tax. In view of the challenges against which agriculture is facing, it is becoming increasingly important to provide high-quality and affordable food from the region (bmel.de). After all, numerous placement agreements with countries such as Georgia and the Republic of Moldova make it easier to access seasonal workers from abroad. These workers, who often come from countries with lower wages, contribute significantly to the success.

Overall, it becomes clear that the topic of the seasonal workers and the minimum wage are closely interwoven. The discussion about fair wages and working conditions in agriculture will far from be completed. The challenges that the increase in the minimum wage brings with it must be constructively tackled both by politics and farmers in order to secure a future -proof and sustainable agriculture in Germany.