Austria: Climate change is taking its toll on the domestic potato

This year, the potatoes were planted in the fields, i.e. grown, particularly early. For consumers, this means that they will probably find local Heurige wines on the shelves as early as the third week of May - a little earlier than usual. Overall, however, the changed climatic conditions pose a problem for potato cultivation, because warmer temperatures and increased drought increase pest pressure. In addition, seed potatoes are needed for cultivation, and supplies of these from Austrian production are currently running out, which is endangering our independence. Hannes Royer, founder of Land schafft Leben, says: "If it is 30 degrees in April, this also has a massive impact on our food production. Farmers have to adapt to the changing conditions. Many of them are doing this very well. But to do this, they also need consumers who then do not buy potatoes from France or Germany, for example, which we currently find on the shelves." Wireworm challenge 2023 was one of the warmest ...