Drought and heat slash Austria’s expected potato harvest

Austria is forecast to harvest about 468,000 tonnes of potatoes this year, just over half last year’s crop, as heat, drought and wireworms cut yields. ORF reported that imports may be needed later in the season.

The Stummer family is harvesting its final table potatoes of the season from a 20-hectare field in Niederfellabrunn, in the Weinviertel region. Young farmer Mathias Stummer said yields had ranged from six to 15 tonnes per hectare, compared with a usual 25 tonnes. The plants also struggled with the dry conditions.

The forecast from Statistics Austria is about two-thirds of an average harvest. In a typical year, the Lower Austrian Chamber of Agriculture says, the country produces around 700,000 tonnes. The previous year brought a record crop.

Lorenz Mayr, vice-president of the Lower Austrian Chamber of Agriculture, said extreme heat in June and July caused potato foliage to die back quickly, stopping further growth. Low rainfall compounded the problem, while wireworms damaged a high proportion of the tubers.

Mayr said the season highlighted the pressure on agriculture and the need for a long-term water supply strategy. He said measures should range from water-efficient farming and irrigation on individual farms to regional projects and infrastructure serving a wider area.

The potatoes are smaller and some are unusually shaped, but Michael Bachl, head of the potato growers’ interest group, said their taste and quality remained good. Domestic potatoes are expected to supply the market for the next few months, but growers will reassess the situation around Christmas. It is not yet clear how much may need to be imported over winter.

For any imports, Bachl said growers wanted supplies from EU countries with similar production standards. He also said imported potatoes should not receive a higher producer price than domestic produce, arguing that local potatoes meet high standards.