German farmers seek lower minimum wage for seasonal workers

German farmers are pushing for reduced minimum wage rates for seasonal workers, as the country's statutory minimum wage increased from 12.82 euros to 13.90 euros per hour at the beginning of this year. The wage increase represents a significant jump of over one euro per hour, raising labor costs for agricultural employers who rely heavily on seasonal workers during planting and harvest periods. Germany's minimum wage affects hundreds of thousands of seasonal agricultural workers, many of whom come from Eastern European countries to work on German farms during peak agricultural seasons.