LKÖ forecasts significantly lower grain harvest 2026 in Austria

The losses vary considerably depending on the crop. Potatoes suffered the most with a decline of 18.5 percent, with starch potatoes even dropping by 50.5 percent. Field peas (minus 21.2 percent), field beans (minus 12.2), spring barley (minus 12.1), oats (minus 9.3) and sugar beet (minus 8.3) also had to absorb partly significant declines.

Different crops, different losses

Other crops, by contrast, were expanded. In terms of area, the strongest increases were seen in sunflowers (plus 19.7 percent), rye (plus 10.1), oil pumpkin (plus 9.5), rapeseed (plus 5.7 from a very low level) and winter barley (plus 3.5). Farmers thus reacted to the changed climatic conditions by switching to more drought-tolerant crops.

Producer prices under pressure

In addition to the weather, the economic framework conditions are also causing difficulties for the farms. Producer prices are at a low level, while production costs remain high, "particularly for fertilizer, energy, fuels, etc.", Moosbrugger warned. This combination of yield losses and cost pressure is putting many farms in a strained situation.

The President of the Chamber of Agriculture Burgenland, Nikolaus Berlakovich, drew a European policy demand from this: He called for a "strong, forward-looking and sufficiently financially equipped Common EU Agricultural Policy (CAP) with inflation adjustment". This is intended to take account of the increased demands on agriculture.

Structural change in arable farming

The current figures illustrate the structural change that domestic arable farming is currently undergoing. With a grain cultivation area of below 0.5 million hectares for the first time and a harvest volume of only 2.7 million tonnes excluding maize, the already strained supply situation for bread grain and feed grain is further tightening.

For the coming months, the Chambers expect further discussions on possible aid measures and adjustments to support conditions. The situation affects not only individual farms, but the entire value chain – from mills to food production to the feed industry.

Possible consequences for consumer prices

The Austrian Chamber of Agriculture also pointed out that the smaller harvest could also have an impact on prices for bread, pastries and other staple foods. Consumers would have to prepare for rising food prices if the developments continue.