According to Statistics Austria, farmers produced a total of 597,800 metric tons of vegetables in 2017, which is a decrease of 3% compared to 2016. Despite the increase in acreage (+3% in 2016), the harvest is slightly below the five-year average (-3%). The drought in the first few months of summer and storm damages had a negative impact on the yield.
Onion harvest lower due to heat and hail, but almost the same level of carrots
Pulses, root vegetables and onions produced a yield of 304,800 metric tons (-4% compared to 2016). Onions, with almost a quarter of the total Austrian vegetable production a large crop, suffered from heat, drought and hail on a large scale. With an onion yield of 144,700 metric tons, the production fell below the previous year's level (-11%) and below the five-year average (-11%).
For carrots the yield per hectare was slightly below the five-year average. Nevertheless, the total yield was above average due to the increase in acreage and amounted to 97,800 metric tons (+5% over the five-year average; -1% compared to 2016). With a slightly larger area, the celery yield was 13,400 metric tons (+2% compared to 2016). The green pea yield, which was low in 2016 due to a virus, was with 12,400 metric tons significantly higher (+38% compared to 2016). In Lower Austria, the acreage for green beans increased drastically, which led to a yield of 6,200 metric tons (+60%) compared to the previous year. Due to the considerable increase of the cultivation area of horseradish by one-fifth, the yield also increased, 4,600 metric tons (+15% compared to 2016). The cultivation areas of garlic increased as well and the yield increased with 6% to 1,100 metric tons.
Lettuce, cabbage and spinach down, but Chinese cabbage up
With 134,600 metric tons (-5% compared to 2016) the yield of cabbage, leaf and stem vegetables was below average (-12% compared to the five-year average). The yield of lettuce was 47,300 metric tons (-3% compared to 2016). The herb production was 38,000 metric tons (-11% compared to 2016). Compared with the low production in 2016, the 18,500 metric tons of Chinese cabbage was 13% higher. Furthermore, 11,400 metric tons of spinach was harvested, which is 11% lower than 2016 despite the increased cultivation area (+19%). This was mainly due to the drought, however, the increasing share of organic spinach, which has a lower yield, increasingly influence the total harvest. On the other hand, the asparagus yield was, with 3,000 metric tons, high compared to the previous year's low yield (+18% compared to 2016).
Tomatoes and cucumbers stable and a continued upward trend in bell peppers and pumpkins
The yield of the fruit vegetables, which are botanically fruits, was 158,500 metric tons (+1% compared with 2016). This is above average yield (+6% compared to the five-year average) is due to the increase in acreage. The tomato yield was 54,300 metric tons almost equal to the 2016 yield (-1%). Cucumbers also achieved a similar production volume, 46,600 metric tons, compared to the previous year (-2%). Bell peppers, on the other hand, recorded 15,300 metric tons, a 9% yield increase compared to 2016, mainly due to the increased cultivation area. Following the long-term trend, the pumpkin harvest was 18,500 metric tons (+5% compared to 2016), which is also due to the significant increase in acreage (+10%). The quantity of sweet corn harvested was 14,900 metric tons (+7% compared to 2016) with an almost unchanged acreage.