Natural disasters are making life particularly difficult for our farmers and winegrowers this year. The damage is record-breaking: and the next wave of heat and storms is already rolling towards us. If construction continues so unscrupulously, we should not be surprised by the consequences, experts told the ‘Krone’.
The outcome for agriculture this year could not be more bleak. Meteorologists have recorded the warmest February and also the hottest March in recorded history in their maps. And next week the summer of 2003 will probably be surpassed in terms of heat and temperatures above the long-term average.
But this had and still has a direct impact on fields, fields and fields. The start of vegetation was three to four weeks earlier this year – and the very cold second half of April led to serious frost damage in fruit and wine growing.
In May, weather extremes reached their first dramatic peak with the start of the hail season: storms with real ice bullets, gales and heavy rainfall damaged crops in all states.
Total damage 200 million euros
The situation as a result of the drought (despite record rainfall in Vienna, Lower Austria and Tyrol last weekend)? “The lack of precipitation and the heat of the past few weeks are particularly noticeable in autumn crops such as maize, soybeans, sugar beets and grassland. The east of the country is particularly affected, where there are signs of significant crop losses. The total damage is currently expected to amount to 200 million euros, half of which is due to the risk of drought,” the hail insurer said in an initial interim report.
The situation for agriculture – with its open-air ‘workshop’ – is worrying because of climate change, as 80 percent of yields depend on the weather.
Point of interest Upper Austria: Nature struck there in Vöcklabruck, Grieskirchen, Schärding, Wels-Land and Braunau am Inn. In just two days of hail, around July 10, farmers suffered losses of three million euros. As reported, the Viennese winemakers were not spared either. Heavy hail destroyed grapes worth 500,000 euros in Rieden am Nussberg. This is far from over. The hail season, for example, lasts until mid-September.
A glimmer of hope on the Katschberg between Carinthia and Salzburg: Christoph Hofmayer is currently harvesting a very good hop harvest for his “Katschbier” in Austria’s highest brewery at 1,670 metres above sea level.
“The obstruction of nature will take revenge!”
But: “If construction continues so unscrupulously, we should not be surprised by the consequences. On the contrary: the destruction of nature will take an even greater toll,” says hail insurance director Dr. Kurt Weinberger about recent natural disasters.
Also concerned: Dr. Helmut Habersack, head of the Institute for Hydraulic Engineering, Hydraulics and River Research at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna: “On the one hand, the risk of flooding is increasing because the higher temperatures resulting from climate change mean that there is more water vapor in the atmosphere and the number of heavy rain showers is increasing. On the other hand, the risk of damage is growing, as in Austria 12 hectares are still being used per day.”
The crux of the matter from his point of view: a large part of it is floodplains. This also increases the risk of flooding downstream. “Dismantling and reducing land use is urgently needed,” the local expert summarizes.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
