Storms, hail, drought

Extreme weather makes Upper Austria. Farmers in trouble

The first signs of drought are already making themselves felt in the local fields.

(Bild: APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER / APA / picturedesk.com)

Farmers do not have it easy. Although there was very little frost damage this year, extreme summer weather is causing major damage to local fields. And the summer is not over yet: The first signs of drought damage are now emerging, especially in maize and grassland. 

Many local farmers have been jubilant about the season so far. An extremely early start due to warm weather in spring, little frost damage and not too much storm damage. However, a few weeks have passed since that interim assessment, and a number of strong storms have also swept across the country. Elsewhere, however, the drought is causing concern.

3 million in two days
"The hail season in Upper Austria got off to a relatively late start this year on July 10 with severe storms in Vöcklabruck, Grieskirchen, Schärding, Wels-Land and Braunau am Inn. This was followed just two days later by two further severe storms, with the districts of Grieskirchen and Schärding being the worst affected," says Wolfgang Winkler, Regional Director of Österreichische Hagelversicherung. These two hailstorm days alone caused damage amounting to over 3 million euros.

Extreme weather causes concern
While the storms in the west and south of the country, some of which were very severe, even caused total losses in arable crops and grassland, the drought is making itself felt in the north and east: "In many regions, the rainfall deficit and the high temperatures of recent weeks are making themselves felt. The soil has dried out, which is having a negative impact on plant development and is therefore jeopardizing crop yields," reports Wolfgang Winkler. "The first signs of drought damage are already visible, particularly in grassland and maize. The rainfall and temperatures over the next few days and weeks will be decisive!"

Insurance premium partially covered
"In times of increasing weather extremes, the role of Austrian hail insurance as a strong partner for agriculture is invaluable. To ensure that the insurance is affordable for all farms, the Upper Austrian Department of Agriculture, together with the federal government, is covering 55% of the insurance premium for our farmers," says Agriculture Minister Michaela Stolz. This safeguards Upper Austria as an agricultural location and thus the food security of us all."

Number for farmers
80 percent of agricultural yields depend on the weather - a huge entrepreneurial risk. This constant uncertainty can take its toll. To alleviate some of the worries, a low-threshold and free advice service has been set up in the form of the farmer's helpline.