IENICA REPORT: AUSTRIA

Executive Summary

In this national report presented from the State of Austria about the present and future role of renewal raw materials from agricultural crops for non-food purposes (with the exception of plant products for energy purposes) all aspects about oilseed crops, fibre crops, carbohydrate producing plants and crops for specialist uses are elucidated and critically analysed.

Among the oilseed-crops only oilseed rape, sunflower, soybean, oil-pumpkin, poppy- and linseed are crops commercially grown in Austria. On the other hand, research with more than 15 other oil-bearing species are presented by focusing production targets for industrial materials with high biodegradability. These crop products already under use in Austria are plant oil lubricants for agricultural and forestry machinery (1.2 Mio. litres/year), concrete mould release agents, printing risks and coating products (14.888 tons/year). Moreover, camelina and crambe are the two industrial oilseed crops with the most advanced agronomic potential for Austria, but not yet grown commercially.

In fibre crops, fibre flax and hemp do have some importance in the country. Because of the domestic cellulose industry-using wood as a cheap source for their products – the market for flax and hemp fibre is very limited. Some change maybe occur if the direct benefit of natural fibres to human health in clothing and for isolation/building material is more acknowledged.

Carbohydrates in form of starch products are manufactured exclusively from potato and maize sources, in form of sugar exclusively from sugar beets. The yearly production of about 220.000 tons potato starch and 170.000 tons of maize starch is nearly sufficient for Austria, whereby approx. 40% of the raw material is marketed for the non-food industry, mainly paper mills. From the sugar production of about 480.000 tons/year only about 14.000 tons are used for non-food sectors, mainly in the pharmaceutical industry.

In the promising field of special crops, herbs- and medical plants a lot of small activities could be discovered in a very pain-stacking investigation. Only the oil-pumpkins with about 12.000 – 15.000 hectares is a very significant crop in this field, followed by caraway seed (680 ha) and milk thistles (650 ha). Pollen from graminaceous species like rye and timothy grass for medical purposes cover up an area from about 200 hectares. All other 30 crop species for herb-tea mixtures or other purposes are grown on areas below 10 hectares and do not play an important role in this field of production.

The situation of the agricultural sector within the Austrian economy

With a 3.3 % increase in economic growth and a historic reduction of the deficit of balance of current account to 0.9 %, 1998 was a successful year for the Austrian economy. The joblessness rate was 4.5 %, thus remaining almost at the level of the previous year. Thanks to the favourable economic situation the job supply improved, also the total available manpower increased.

In the agricultural sector the production increased by volume, whereas the value of its gross yield decreased. Compared to 1997, the value of the final production of agriculture and forestry sank by 1 %, to ATS 62,7 billion (agriculture ATS 49.2 billion, forestry ATS 13.5 billion) Whereas animal keeping saw a loss mainly because of the troubles affecting the pig market, plant production recorded an increase as compared to the previous year. As a consequence of the curbed degressive compensatory payments the amount paid in direct payments sank to ATS 18.7 billion (ATS -8,1 billion). The share of agriculture and forestry in the GDP was 1.4 % in 1998. According to data from the Austrian Institute of Economic Research (Wirtschaftsforschungsinstitut, WIFO) the number of persons employed in the agricultural sector totalled 149,600. Compared to 1997 that means a decrease in employed persons by 2.4 % and the smallest decrease so observed since the mid-1980s. The agricultural quota of the working population is currently 4.2 %.

In agricultural trade, 1998 saw rising exports (+ 9 %) and imports (+ 4 %) as compared to the previous year. Agricultural products to a value of almost ATS 37 billion were exported, more than two thirds of those exports were directed to EU member countries. Imports amounted to nearly ATS 57 billion, three quarters thereof from EU countries. The agricultural trade balance was ATS 20 billion. Austrian tourism recorded an increase of overnight stays of 1.9 % in 1998. Foreign currency receipts from tourism came to ATS 157.4 billion. The number of overnight stays increased to 111 million. In the category farm holidays overnight stays decreased in 1998, but the chances for success in future years are favourably judged.

Nutrition and food commerce have been characterised by major changes. The extraordinarily high concentration in food commerce continues to increase in all EU member states; it is therefore getting increasingly difficult for small farmers to guarantee adequate supply. The increasing ecological awareness of the customers and their higher sensitivity with respect to production methods and to the healthfulness, origin and freshness of foodstuffs however provide good opportunities for local high-quality farm products.