MOSCOW, 10th August, 2026 (WAM) -- Austrian agriculture has suffered 1 billion euro ($1.155 billion) damage due to drought, and an additional 80 million euro ($92.4 million) damage due to frost, hail, storms, and floods, based on today's estimate, Kurt Weinberger, Chairman of the Board of the Austrian Agricultural Insurance Company, said on Monday.
"The total damage to Austrian agriculture due to drought currently amounts to 1 billion euros ($1.155 billion), and a further 80 million euros ($92.4 million) will be added due to frost, hail, storms, and floods," Weinberger said, according to RIA Novosti.
Its representatives added that some regions of Austria had seen 75% less precipitation since June 15 compared to the 2016-2025 average. Meanwhile, as of August 10, Vienna recorded 42 hot days, with temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit). By comparison, in the 1980s, there were an average of nine.
Furthermore, on August 5, a record temperature of 41.2 degrees Celsius (105.8 degrees Fahrenheit) was recorded in Bad Deutsch-Altenburg in Lower Austria, the company said.
According to the Austrian Hail Insurance, the greatest damage was inflicted to pastures, corn, potatoes, sugar beets, pumpkins, and soybeans. In some regions, grain crops were also damaged.
Weinberger added that previously, serious drought damage occurred approximately once in 10 years, whereas now major losses recur every 2-3 years.
"This shows us that agriculture, like no other sector, is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change," he said.
The release read that approximately 80% of arable land and 40% of pasture land in Austria are insured against drought risk, with insured farms being entitled to compensation.
Weinberger also warned that crop losses due to climate change and shrinking agricultural land could make Austria even more dependent on imports in the future.