E-Malt.com News article: The Czech Republic: Hop picking season starts in the Czech Republic

The season of hop picking has started in the Czech Republic, the third largest grower and exporter of hops in the world, Euronews reported on August 22.

Great news for beer lovers globally: the hop picking season has kicked off in the Czech Republic, the third largest grower and exporters of hops in the world.

The season of hop picking in the country started on 17 August, and is expected to last two weeks.

About 70 per cent of the harvest is destined for export, mostly to China and Japan.

While there has been a reduction in beer production since COVID-19, there has been a rise in demand for premium beers with higher hop content.

The current area of hop farms in the Czech Republic is 4,852 hectares, which is six hectares less than last year. The largest area is the Žatec region, where hops are grown on 3,718 hectares.

The agriculture ministry counts about 120 registered growers this year. Last year, hop growers in the Czech Republic harvested 6,997 tonnes of hops, according to data from the Central Agricultural Inspection and Testing Institute.

With the earliest record of its cultivation in the 11th century, hops is one of the country's most traditional and successful crops.


22 August, 2024