Hungary faces record drought and severe apple crop failure

Hungary has experienced its driest and one of its hottest summers on record, according to analysis by the National Agricultural Chamber based on HungaroMet data. National average precipitation was only 70 mm, which is 133 mm less than the 200-year average. In many counties, summer rainfall reached only 25-40 percent of normal levels. The heat was equally extreme, with temperatures exceeding 25 degrees Celsius on all 92 days of summer and reaching above 40 degrees Celsius ten times.

The severe drought and heatwave have led to a catastrophic decline in apple production. FruitVeB reports that the 2026 harvest is expected to be the worst in fifty years, with an estimated total of 130,000–140,000 tons, compared to 170,000 tons in 2025 and up to 500,000 tons in good years. This decline follows spring frosts and subsequent summer heat.

Despite the low yields, producer prices have dropped by 30-40 percent compared to last year, partly due to existing stocks from previous years. The low production levels threaten the long-term viability of the domestic processing industry, as current yields are insufficient to maintain existing processing capacities.