Climate change threatens agriculture: potato harvest collapses due to heat and drought

dpa | The drought and heat in the summer of 2026 will have a significant impact on the potato harvest in northwestern Europe, according to a new analysis. An evaluation of industry data by the “Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit” (Eciu) showed that Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands could be missing a total of around 3.11 million tonnes of potatoes compared to the respective five-year average.

The value of lost production in the four countries is estimated at between 405 million and 622 million euros, Eciu said. According to the data, Germany faces the largest absolute loss (1.13 million tons). The numbers are not yet a final harvest balance, but rather an analysis based on estimates during the current or just ending harvest.

“As fall begins, the impact of record summer heat and drought on food and agriculture is becoming clear,” said Eciu analyst Tom Lancaster. Potatoes were one of Europe's most water-requiring crops. It was therefore foreseeable that the harvest would be hit hard. This is now also reflected in the industry's earnings estimates, which in some cases have fallen by 20 percent.

Things are looking extremely bad for potato farmers, who are on the front lines of climate change. The analysis also reports that prices have risen significantly. For Germany, among other things, processing potatoes cost around 240 euros per tonne. At the start of the season, table potatoes were worth around 270 to 280 euros per ton, compared to around 150 euros the previous year.