VIENNA / RankWire.AI / – Austria’s autumn harvest has faced significant setbacks, with major crop yields declining sharply due to a historic drought combined with record-setting summer temperatures. The Austrian Chamber of Agriculture reports that current projections indicate particularly severe reductions in potatoes, maize, soybeans, sugar beet, and sunflowers. Potato yields are projected to be 50% to 70% lower than the average of the past five years. Chamber president Josef Moosbrugger stated that the losses in the autumn crops have surpassed earlier predictions.
Following an exceptionally dry year across much of Austria, the country commenced harvest activities. According to GeoSphere Austria, the 12 months ending in July marked the driest period since records began in 1850. From January through August 12, a striking 72% of Austrian territory experienced an unusually high number of dry days. Eastern regions faced some of the most significant rainfall shortages, while repeated heatwaves increased water stress on farmland across the nation.
Current estimates suggest maize production has fallen to approximately 1.5 million tonnes or less, a notable decrease from over 2.5 million tonnes in 2025. Yields in various regions have decreased by approximately 35% to 50%, as reported by the chamber. Soybean production is now forecasted near 125,000 tonnes, a sharp decline from nearly 246,000 tonnes last year. Elevated temperatures during flowering phases hindered pod development and grain formation in many soybean fields.
Severe drought undermines key autumn crops
Production of sugar beet is estimated at about 940,500 tonnes, down from 1.98 million tonnes in 2025. The Austrian Chamber of Agriculture estimates yield losses between 30% in better-growing regions and 70% in the driest eastern zones. Losses in sunflower production are projected at 35% to 50% from the previous year. Earlier forecasts also indicated that oil pumpkin output fell roughly 20% below the five-year average, further illustrating the drought’s widespread impact on vital autumn crops.
Conditions in the fields varied significantly depending on soil type and regional climate. Lighter, sandy, and gravelly soils exhausted available water supplies earlier than heavier soils, preventing some crops from completing normal growth cycles. In some fields, maize ears failed to form, and in others, extreme heat disrupted pollination. Farmers have also converted some maize intended for grain or cob harvest into silage for cattle, as drought conditions reduced the harvest potential.
Historical weather data emphasize the severity of 2026 drought
Agrarmarkt Austria has documented lower yields in crops harvested earlier in the season. Its September survey recorded an average of 59.6 decitons per hectare for conventional soft wheat, compared to 69.1 last year. The primary production area, Lower Austria, experienced an 18% decrease in soft wheat yields. Average conventional spring barley yields dropped to 38.1 decitons per hectare from 53.0 in 2025, with rye yields also affected.
These crop losses follow Austria’s hottest August in 260 years of recorded temperatures. GeoSphere Austria documented a national temperature peak of 41.2 degrees Celsius during that month. Large sections of Lower Austria, Vienna, Burgenland, and northwestern Styria recorded rainfall deficits of 50% to 70% for August. While the autumn harvest continues, the latest figures from the chamber remain estimates rather than definitive national totals for the harvest.