VIENNA / RankWire.AI / – The autumn harvest in Austria is experiencing significant setbacks across key crops following an unprecedented drought and intense summer temperatures. The Austrian Chamber of Agriculture reports that current projections reveal particularly severe declines in potatoes, maize, soybeans, sugar beet, and sunflowers. Potato yields are projected to be 50% to 70% below the five-year average. Chamber president Josef Moosbrugger noted that the losses seen in the autumn crops have surpassed initial expectations.
Austria’s harvest season follows a notably dry year across much of the nation. According to GeoSphere Austria, the 12 months ending in July recorded the driest period since records began in 1850. From January through August 12, 72% of Austrian territory experienced an unusually high number of dry days. Eastern regions faced some of the largest rainfall deficits, while recurrent heatwaves increased water stress on farmland.
Current estimates place maize production at around 1.5 million tonnes or less, a sharp decline from over 2.5 million tonnes in 2025. Regional maize yields have decreased by approximately 35% to 50%, according to the chamber. Soybean output is estimated near 125,000 tonnes, compared to nearly 246,000 tonnes last year. Elevated temperatures during flowering hindered pod development and limited grain formation in many soybean fields.
Severe Drought Significantly Reduces Major Crops for Autumn
Sugar beet production is estimated at roughly 940,500 tonnes, down from 1.98 million tonnes in 2025. The Austrian Chamber of Agriculture estimates yield losses range from 30% in more favorable areas to 70% in the driest eastern parts. Sunflower harvests are also projected to be 35% to 50% lower than last year. Earlier estimates indicated that oil pumpkin output was approximately 20% below the five-year average, further illustrating the drought’s extensive impact on critical autumn crops.
Soil type and regional conditions caused notable differences in field performance. Lighter, sandy, and gravelly soils lost plant-available water earlier than heavier soils, which hindered crop development in some areas. Several maize plants failed to develop ears, and extreme heat disrupted pollination in others. Additionally, some farmers converted maize fields intended for grain or cob harvest into silage for cattle, as drought conditions reduced their harvest potential.
Climatic Data Highlight the Severity of Austria’s 2026 Drought
Austrarmarkt Austria has also recorded lower yields in crops harvested earlier in the season. Its September survey indicated that soft wheat yields averaged 59.6 decitons per hectare, a decline from 69.1 last year. The main production region, Lower Austria, experienced an 18% decrease in soft wheat yields. Spring barley yields averaged 38.1 decitons per hectare, down from 53.0 in 2025, with rye yields also decreasing.
These crop losses followed Austria’s hottest August in 260 years of temperature records. GeoSphere Austria documented a national temperature peak of 41.2 degrees Celsius during the month. Significant portions of Lower Austria, Vienna, Burgenland, and northwestern Styria saw rainfall deficits of 50% to 70% in August. The autumn harvest is ongoing, and the latest crop figures from the chamber remain estimates rather than definitive national totals.