Despite a light reduction compared to last year (-4%), according to Agrarmarkt Austria, first yield estimates for winter stonefruit from orchards lead us to expect an above average production of winter apples (+7% compared to the ten-year average), with 217,000 t.
A majority (82%) of domestic winter apples are ripening in Styrian stocks, while the second most important producer, Lower Austria, provides just 7%. For winter pears, with 5,800 t, we can count on an increase compared to last year (+5%) as well as in the long term (+8%).
Stone- and softfruit
With regard to stone- and softfruit, with 2,100 tons of cherries, the orchards expect a largely stable harvest quantity compared to last year. Surface area expansion (+3%) may compensate for the slightly reduced yield potential. With strawberries, of which 46% is grown in Lower Austria, could be 8% less than last year, with 13,300 tons – a minus of 6% compared to a normal year.
Growth was noted with raspberry cultures at 1,000 tons (+6% compared to 2014). A slight reduction in production volume is upcoming for redcurrant stocks with 1,700 tons (-2% compared to 2014), which also corresponds to the average harvest of the last 10 years.
Orchard fruit
In extensive fruit farming (agricultural orchard cultivation), the yield expectations for winter apples (including cider apples) are clearly in the red (-15% compared to 2014), while smaller reductions are expected for winter pears (-3% compared to 2014).
Stronger reductions in yield compared to last year could also show up with extensively produced cherries (-11% compared to 2014) and sour cherries (-12% compared to 2014). With extensive softfruit, gooseberries could have a harvest increase of 6%, while red currants could show a stable yield (-1% compared to 2014).
Potatoes
Early and mid-early table potatoes clearly show a below average (-15% compared to the ten-year average) production level with 298,000 tons (-26% compared to 2014).
Due to the severe drought, a first estimate of the growth circumstances of late potatoes leads us to expect a lesser harvest than last year.
