Drought cuts Austrian herb harvests by up to half

Drought is expected to reduce harvests of culinary herbs and pharmaceutical plants, with the Waldland agricultural company forecasting a one-third decline overall and losses of up to 50 percent for annual parsley, ORF reported.

Waldland grows herbs such as chives, caraway and poppies, as well as pharmaceutical plants including cowslips and St John’s wort. The company, based in Oberwaltenreith in the Zwettl district, processes and markets agricultural products.

Some herbs, including chives, can be harvested several times a year. Even so, Waldland managing director Franz Tiefenbacher said the company expected its harvest to be about one-third lower. He said the losses were particularly serious in special crops, which generate high added value.

Many of the company’s specialist crops also cannot be insured against this type of damage, Tiefenbacher said.

After two productive years in 2024 and 2025, drought has now affected the Waldviertel region and the areas where Waldland operates. The company plans to invest in finished-goods storage to create a buffer during years with weak harvests.

Irrigation is also expected to become more important. The necessary infrastructure is not yet available, but Waldland said investment in irrigation systems would be worthwhile because special crops generate particularly high added value. Three-quarters of Austria’s special-crop areas are located in Lower Austria.