Agricultural yields vary in Austria and Germany amid heat and drought

Agricultural producers in Austria and Germany are facing varying outcomes for their harvests due to extreme weather conditions.

In Vorarlberg, Austria, apple producers expect a good harvest despite a hot and dry year. Producers like Jens Blum attribute this resilience to high humus content in the soil, sustainable management, and investments in irrigation and hail protection. While the EU expects a 15 percent decrease in apple yields, Vorarlberg's Ländle Apfel producers anticipate a satisfactory harvest, contributing approximately 414 tons to the regional total.

Conversely, potato farmers in Bavaria, Germany, are anticipating below-average yields for 2026. The Bavarian Farmers' Association (BBV) reports that extreme heat and drought starting in late June halted growth, with many areas receiving only half of the usual rainfall. Additionally, farmers are struggling with pest pressure from the meadow spittlebug and damage from hail in regions like Swabia and Franconian Knoblauchsland.