Crop Development Report August 2026 – 46 heat days since May
The 2026 hop harvest has begun after an exceptionally hot summer. The Lupex Crop Development Report for August records 46 heat days from May through August – the highest figure on record.
August averaged 20.6 °C in the Hallertau, 4.4 °C above the long-term mean, and temperatures exceeded 30 °C on 16 days. Monthly rainfall reached 75.3 mm, 23.4% below the long-term average.
The year-to-date rainfall total also shows a substantial deficit: 398.5 mm by the end of August, 35.5% below the long-term average. The persistent heat has affected the crop. Detailed production figures are available in the harvest estimate Lupex circulated last week.
In Slovenia, temperatures were again very high. Growers report that rain in the second half of August came too late for early varieties. Some flowers failed to develop further, leaving cone formation incomplete in places. The crop figure published on the basis of late-July IHGC data is therefore expected to be missed.
August was also too hot and dry in the Czech Republic to support a good crop. Although the cones appear healthy and large, some of the vine tips have been scorched.
👉 Read the Crop Development Report August 2026 as a PDF now.
