Austria: Domestic fruit harvest 2020 turned out to be below average

Published Oct 8, 2021

Tridge summary

In 2020, Austria experienced a significantly below-average fruit harvest due to a severe cold spell in late March and April. The stone fruit production saw total failures in many areas, with only 5,600 tons harvested, marking a record low. Apricots were particularly affected, with a 90% decrease compared to the previous year. The pear harvest was slightly above the previous year but still below the ten-year average. The apple harvest was also affected by late frost, resulting in reduced quality and quantities. The strawberry yield was satisfactory but slightly below the previous year. Vegetable production data for 2020 was not available.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

A huge cold spell in late March and early April has meant that the Austrian fruit harvest in 2020 has remained well below average. Stone fruit production was particularly affected, with in many cases total failures due to severe sub-zero temperatures, despite extensive frost protection measures. The yields of the top fruit orchards were slightly better, but still below average. The soft fruit harvest saw satisfactory quantities. Apple harvest less than average due to late frostA harvest of 160,100 tons (-13% compared to 2019) was achieved for apples. More than three quarters of the apples came from Styria. The long late frost period in April has had a strong yield-limiting effect on the specific varieties. The varieties affected by frost showed reduced qualities such as frost rings and skin defects. For pears, the harvest of 8,200 tons was significantly higher than in the weak year before (+30% compared to 2019), but still remained within the margin of the ten-year average (-2%). ...

Source: AGF