Austria strawberry harvest hit by climate‑related losses

Austrian strawberry growers reported an under‑average harvest after the season ended, citing long dry spells, sharp temperature fluctuations and late frosts. The Austrian Chamber of Agriculture said climate change has heightened production risks and caused a noticeable shortfall compared with the previous year’s 14,100 tonnes.

Farmers expect yields to fall below that level and argue that substantial investment in irrigation, frost protection and other climate‑resilient systems is essential. The chamber called for planning and investment security to lower production risk. With fewer imports available, domestic strawberries have dominated supermarket shelves during the main season, prompting calls to give priority to local produce whenever possible.