A Severe European Drought Is Hurting Crops From Dutch Potatoes to Bosnian Corn

This summer, a powerful drought is hitting farms across Europe, shrinking crops and drying up water supplies. From the Netherlands to Bosnia to the Czech Republic, farmers are watching their harvests fall far below normal. Scientists say the extreme heat is being made worse by human-caused climate change and a strong El Niño weather pattern. The situation is serious enough that one bank estimates the drought could cost the European Union around $208 billion in lost economic output in 2026.

In the Netherlands, farmer Hendrik Jan ten Cate is watching his potato plants wither in the heat. His potatoes are harvested a full month early, and the crop is much smaller than usual. Many of those potatoes are used to make French fries for companies like McDonald's, but this year they are too small to meet demand. 'People want long fries,' ten Cate said, holding up one of the undersized potatoes. 'That's going to be tough this year.'

Even though ten Cate is one of the few farmers allowed to use water for irrigation, he still expects his harvest to be down by about one-third compared to a normal year. He says the heat and dry air are just as damaging as the lack of rain. 'The potatoes just can't handle that combination very well,' he said. His neighbor, Maarten Janse, is trying a different approach by spreading compost, straw, and manure over his fields to help the dry soil hold moisture. Janse also avoids plowing his land, which helps the soil stay healthier during dry spells.

Across Europe, the drought is hurting many different kinds of farms. In Bosnia, corn farmer Slavisa Lukic used to grow 6 to 7 tons of corn per hectare. This year, he expects to harvest only 1.5 to 2 tons per hectare — and he is not even sure he will get that much. Fields that once grew thick clover have gone completely bare. 'Now they literally do not exist,' Lukic said. 'Nothing.'

Agriculture is very important to Bosnia's economy, making up about 5 percent of the country's annual income and supporting 10 percent of all jobs. When crops fail, it does not just hurt farmers — it affects the whole country. Lukic and other Bosnian farmers are facing one of the worst growing seasons in recent memory. Repeated heat waves have made it nearly impossible for crops to survive.

The drought is even affecting one of the Czech Republic's most beloved products: beer. The country's largest beer maker, Plzeňský Prazdroj, says it expects to lose money this year because hops — a key ingredient in beer — are not growing well. Sustainability manager Jakub Zaoral explained that rain now falls in heavy bursts after long dry periods, which means water runs off the hard ground instead of soaking in. 'If it were to happen three times in a row, that could very well become an existential problem for hop growers,' he said.

In Romania, some crops like sunflowers have held up better in the heat, but other problems have appeared. The Danube River has reached record-low water levels, making it hard to ship grain by boat. Terminals are becoming jammed with crops that have nowhere to go. Grain expert Cezar Gheorghe said farmers are panicking because they cannot find storage space for their corn and sunflower seeds.

Hungary is also feeling the drought's effects. Dairy farmer Sándor Molnár has not seen rain on his farm since late May, and he is spending a lot of money on feed for his 130 cows because the grass has dried up. 'We're trying to hang in there and hope for the best,' he said. He admitted that farmers have been saying the same thing for several years in a row, hoping each next year will be better.

In England, a large farm called Elveden Estate built a huge reservoir less than a year ago that can hold as much water as 200 Olympic swimming pools. Less than a year later, it is almost empty, and a second reservoir is only 20 percent full. Managing director Andrew Blenkiron said the farm's investment in water storage has helped them keep irrigating crops this season. But he is still worried. 'We've got probably, if this weather stays as it is, six weeks of watering left to do,' he said.

Back in the Netherlands, Janse is using every tool he can think of to protect his farm. He grows a plant called samphire, also known as sea asparagus, which can survive in salty soil. As dry weather pulls salt up into the soil, samphire becomes a useful crop. But even this tough plant is struggling without fresh rainwater. 'Samphire needs fresh water, and if there is only saltwater it doesn't grow either,' he said. Janse has also opened a campsite on his farm to bring in extra income while the crops suffer.