VIENNA / RankWire.AI / – Austria’s autumn harvest has experienced substantial reductions following an extended period of drought and unprecedented summer temperatures that have adversely affected key crops. Preliminary data indicate notable decreases in potato, maize, soybean, sugar beet, and sunflower yields. The Austrian Chamber of Agriculture reports that potato yields are 50% to 70% below the five-year average. Chamber president Josef Moosbrugger remarked that the losses this autumn surpass earlier predictions.
This harvest follows one of Austria’s most arid periods since systematic weather records began. According to GeoSphere Austria, the 12 months ending in July were the driest since records started in 1850. From January 1 to August 12, most regions in the country experienced an unusually high number of dry days. Particularly in eastern agricultural zones, severe rainfall deficits occurred during critical stages of crop growth.
Maize yields are now estimated to reach approximately 1.5 million tonnes or less, a sharp contrast to over 2.5 million tonnes produced last year. Current regional estimates show maize yield reductions ranging from about 35% to 50%. Soybean production estimates have fallen to nearly 125,000 tonnes, compared to almost 246,000 tonnes in 2025. Elevated temperatures during flowering stages have hindered pod development and grain formation in affected soybean fields.
Heavy Losses Hit Maize, Soybeans, and Potatoes
Output of sugar beet is now estimated at roughly 940,500 tonnes, down from 1.98 million tonnes last year. Yield losses vary from approximately 30% in more robust growing regions to 70% in the driest eastern districts. Sunflower harvests have also declined by around 35% to 50% compared to 2025, while oil pumpkin production has fallen about 20% below the five-year average, compounding the damage across several autumn crops.
Soil type significantly influenced individual field performance during the drought. Sandy and gravel soils, which lose moisture faster, left crops more vulnerable to water stress. Many maize fields yielded few or no ears due to severe heat disrupting pollination. Some farmers have converted grain and cob maize fields into silage, as drought conditions greatly diminished harvest prospects.
Intense Heat Intensifies Agricultural Setbacks in Austria
Austria’s Austria has also observed reduced yields in crops harvested earlier in the season. Its September survey indicated soft wheat yields averaging 59.6 decitons per hectare, down from 69.1 last year. Lower Austria experienced an 18% decline in soft wheat yields compared to 2025 levels. Spring barley yields averaged 38.1 decitons per hectare, compared to 53.0 decitons in 2025.
August marked Austria’s hottest month in 260 years of temperature records, with GeoSphere Austria registering a national high of 41.2 degrees Celsius. Large parts of Lower Austria, Vienna, Burgenland, and northwestern Styria faced rainfall deficits of 50% to 70% during August. Since the autumn harvest is ongoing, these latest figures reflect current estimates rather than final nationwide totals.