VIENNA, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- Austrian commercial fruit growers had a strong year in 2018 with the total harvest 78 percent higher than the weaker yield last year, Statistics Austria revealed on Tuesday.
The harvest totaling 284,400 tons was also 28 percent higher than the 10-year average.
It was noted that among all fruits, with a record harvest of 252,700 tons, pip fruit yields were 32 percent higher than the 10-year average, and 86 percent higher than in 2017.
Apples, which accounted for 95 percent of the total pip fruit harvests, and pears saw record harvests, 86 percent and 106 percent higher than last year respectively.
Stone fruit also saw strong harvests, coming in at 63 percent higher than 2017, and 20 percent higher than the 10-year average.
Statistics Austria said the improved harvests were due to cooler temperatures in the spring months that prevented crops from blooming too early, along with noticeably lesser frost damage, which caused heavy damage during the past two fruit-growing seasons.
