Press release: 12.228-068/20

Crop production in the 2018/19 agricultural year slightly decreased

Vienna, 2020-04-29 – In 2018/19, total crop production decreased by 2% compared to 2017/18, according to Statistics Austria. Due to a very rich harvest in both intensive and extensive fruit growing, the production volume for fruit was above average. On the other hand, however, the lowest amount of sugar beet since 1995 has been produced. This can be seen from the supply balance sheets for the period from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019 (wine: 1 August to 31 July; sugar: 1 October to 30 September).

In the crop year 2018/19, Austria's agriculture produced 4.8 million tonnes of cereals (-1%), 728 000 tonnes of fruit (+116%), 634 500 tonnes of vegetables (-5%), 697 900 tonnes of potatoes (+7%), 386 900 tonnes of oil seeds (+1%), 2.15 million tonnes of sugar beet (-28%) and 2.75 million hectolitres of wine (+11%).

In order to cover domestic demand, 2.68 million tonnes of cereals (-9%), 1.53 million tonnes of fruit and vegetables (+2%), 293 100 tonnes of potatoes (-1%), 709 800 hectolitres of wine (-6%), 659 600 tonnes of oil seeds (+11%) and 343 700 tonnes of vegetable oil (+5%) were imported.

The degree of self-sufficiency was 108% for wine, 87% for cereals, 83% for potatoes, 59% for fruit, 54% for vegetables, 48% for oil seeds and 28% for vegetable oils.

The total agricultural foreign trade volume amounted to €24.2 bn (imports: €12.4 bn; exports: €11.8 bn). This corresponds to a share of 7.8% of the total foreign trade volume of €311.1 bn.

For more detailed information please refer to the German version.