Apple Day: Good Harvest, But Pressure on Local Fruit Growers Remains

The President of the Austrian Chamber of Agriculture (LKÖ), Josef Moosbrugger, and the Chairman of the Austrian Fruit and Vegetable Industry Association (ÖBOG), Manfred Kohlfürst, are using "Apple Day 2025" on November 14th to highlight the achievements as well as the difficulties of the industry.

Apple Harvest: Better Quantity, Excellent Quality, Intense Aroma

After the very poor harvest in 2024, Austria's apple farmers can look forward to significantly better quantities this year. The nationwide harvest quantity is currently estimated at around 177,500 tons. On a European level, an apple harvest of 10.5 million tons is expected in 2025, which is approximately the same as the previous year. "The majority of local farms have been spared from extreme weather events and corresponding damages this year. Investments in hail and frost protection measures have also had a positive impact. The qualities are excellent this year: Thanks to the many hours of sunshine, the apples impress with an intense, fruity aroma, a strong color, and good shelf life," reports Moosbrugger.

Austria's Organic Apple Farmers Look Back on a Strong 2025

"Austria's organic farmers, who manage around 25% of the apple orchards, are also reporting a pleasing harvest this year. Good blossom weather in April and a favorable summer have ensured excellent quality, even though pests like codling moth and sawfly have caused yield losses in some farms. It is also pleasing that consumers continue to prefer organic apples despite discussions about rising prices," says the LKÖ President. About half of the domestic organic apple harvest will again be placed in the Austrian food retail sector, ensuring a market share of over 10% remains secured.

Despite Good Harvest - Tense Situation in the Sector Remains

"Although the apple harvest this year is significantly higher than in previous years, the situation in the sector remains tense. In the past ten years, only three normal harvests could be brought in due to climate change. In addition, there are significantly increased operating costs, higher labor costs, new introduced pests, and limited options for plant protection," Moosbrugger points out, supporting his statements with structural development: In just six years between 2017 and 2023, 14% of the fruit area and 19% of the farms were lost in Austrian fruit growing - including over 1,000 ha of apple area.

Every Year a Nail-Biter - Due to Lack of Protection Options

"There are farms that continue to develop and invest in climate change adaptation measures - supported by the Common EU Agricultural Policy in combination with the federal and state governments. Currently, however, only 10% of apple farms have the option of frost irrigation. The investment, which amounts to about 35,000 EUR depending on the facility and conditions and is significantly higher with a foil storage basin, is unaffordable for many farms after years without significant profit," Kohlfürst, himself an apple farmer, also points out. "According to internal surveys, only a quarter of the farms where the farm manager will retire in the next 15 years have a secured succession. This should be a wake-up call for all of Austria," says the ÖBOG chairman, who, together with Moosbrugger, is advocating for investment subsidies.

To improve the situation of apple farmers, LKÖ and ÖBOG are advocating for more options to protect the harvests, as the number of available active substances in the EU has decreased to a third since the 1990s. Plant protection products that are approved in neighboring EU countries should certainly also be allowed to be used in Austria, according to the demand. Urgent improvements are needed to create more competitive fairness within the EU and to secure fruit production in Austria and Europe. After all, new pests (neobiota) are continuously migrating due to climate change. "Under the current conditions, fruit growing in Austria faces great challenges. Farmers are anxious every year whether they can harvest and sell their products or have to cope with high losses. We urgently need improvements," demands Kohlfürst.

Reduction of Ancillary Wage Costs and Origin Labeling

Since manual labor remains indispensable in fruit and vegetable cultivation, ÖBOG is also advocating for improvements in the area of ancillary wage costs - equally in the interest of businesses, employees, and supply security. Since processing in Austria plays a central role, especially for smaller farms (under 15 ha), and makes a decisive contribution to income, ÖBOG also calls for an extension of the current origin labeling for fresh fruit to processed products. "Especially for mono-products like apple juice or strawberry jam, more transparency in production should not pose a major challenge," says Kohlfürst, who also advocates for better origin labeling in gastronomy and communal catering.

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This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.