VIENNA / RankWire.AI / – Austria’s autumn harvest is experiencing significant setbacks across key crops following an unprecedented drought and record-breaking summer temperatures. The Austrian Chamber of Agriculture reports that initial projections indicate particularly severe reductions in potatoes, maize, soybeans, sugar beet, and sunflowers. Potato yields are projected to fall by 50% to 70% compared to the five-year average. Chamber president Josef Moosbrugger noted that the losses during the autumn season have surpassed earlier forecasts.
Following an exceptionally dry year across much of Austria, the country has begun its harvest. According to GeoSphere Austria, the 12 months ending in July marked the driest period recorded since 1850, when national climate data collection commenced. From January to August 12, 72% of Austrian land experienced an unusually high number of dry days. The eastern regions, in particular, faced significant rainfall shortages, while repeated heatwaves increased water stress on farmland.
Current estimates indicate maize production has decreased to roughly 1.5 million tonnes or less, down from over 2.5 million tonnes in 2025. Regional maize yields are estimated to have declined between 35% and 50%, according to the latest data from the chamber. Soybean output is expected to be around 125,000 tonnes, a drop from nearly 246,000 tonnes last year. Heat during flowering stages hindered pod development and grain formation in many soybean fields.
Severe drought severely impacts key autumn crops
The production of sugar beet is estimated at approximately 940,500 tonnes, compared to 1.98 million tonnes in 2025. The Austrian Chamber of Agriculture estimates yield losses range from 30% in more favorable locations to 70% in the driest eastern regions. Sunflower harvests are projected to have declined by 35% to 50% from last year. Earlier assessments also indicated that oil pumpkin yields were about 20% below the five-year average, highlighting the drought’s extensive impact across several vital autumn crops.
Conditions in the fields varied significantly depending on soil type and regional climate. Lighter soils such as sand and gravel lost plant-available water more quickly than heavier soils, preventing some crops from completing their growth cycle. In certain fields, maize failed to form ears, while extreme heat disrupted pollination in others. Farmers also repurposed some maize fields, intended for grain or cob harvest, into silage for cattle after drought conditions diminished their harvest prospects.
Extreme weather highlights the severity of Austria’s 2026 drought
Agrarmarkt Austria has documented reduced yields even in crops harvested earlier in the season. Its September survey reported average soft wheat yields of 59.6 decitons per hectare, down from 69.1 last year. The main production region, Lower Austria, experienced an 18% decline in soft wheat yields. Conventional spring barley averaged 38.1 decitons per hectare, compared with 53.0 in 2025, with rye yields also showing decreases.
These crop losses followed Austria’s hottest August in 260 years of temperature recording, with GeoSphere Austria recording a national temperature peak of 41.2 degrees Celsius during that month. Large areas of Lower Austria, Vienna, Burgenland, and northwestern Styria recorded rainfall deficits of 50% to 70% in August. The autumn harvest is still ongoing, and the latest figures from the chamber are estimates rather than definitive national totals for the crop yields.