As per a study conducted by the Society for the Conservation of Crop Diversity (Arche Noah), the climate conducive to fruit cultivation in Austria is migrating to higher elevations, attributed to global warming. This analysis, focusing on Amstetten South, the Pöllau Valley, and Lungau, highlights the shifting dynamics in domestic fruit production. The Austrian Chamber of Agriculture and the Federal Fruit Growers' Association has deemed the situation as "dramatic," citing a notable decline in orchards over the years. From approximately 35 million orchard trees in 1930, the number dwindled to about 4.2 million by 2020, with half of them located in Upper and Lower Austria.
The long-term preservation of orchards is seen as feasible only through collaboration with regional advisory bodies capable of applying new research into practice. This initiative saw contributions from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (Boku), ARGE Streuobst, and engineering firm Holler, with funding from the Ministry of Climate. The study, incorporating climate data from 1961 to 1990 and 1991 to 2020, forewarns of decreased water availability at lower altitudes, exacerbating drought conditions for fruit cultivation, especially in the Amstetten region. It also predicts an increase in summer heat, drought stress, and extreme weather events, elevating the risk of frost damage due to an earlier onset of vegetation.
Despite these challenges, the study suggests that regions previously deemed unsuitable for fruit cultivation, such as the Alpine area, could emerge as potential cultivation sites. Bernd Kajtna from Arche Noah emphasizes the importance of selecting appropriate locations for future fruit cultivation, focusing on fertile soils, and adapting nutrient management to meet the trees' increased water demands. The choice of fruit species for new plantings is also crucial.
In anticipation of Apple Day on November 8, calls for support in fruit cultivation were echoed by the Austrian Chamber of Agriculture and the Federal Fruit Association, following an "earlier than ever" start to the 2024 apple harvest and a significantly reduced yield. The 2023 agricultural structure survey further highlighted a 14% reduction in fruit cultivation areas in Austria from 2017 to 2023, affecting not only apples but also apricots, cherries, nectarines, plums, and strawberries.
Source: Krone Multimedia