Degree of self-sufficiency with food

In Austria, a lot of foodstuffs - of animal or plant origin - are produced. However, how much of each foodstuff is produced depends very much on the conditions in our country. Thus, for some foodstuffs the Austrian demand can be largely met by domestic production, whereas for other foodstuffs considerably less is produced in Austria than people consume. Again and again certain events - such as the corona crisis or the war in the Ukraine - are the cause of the fact that people are increasingly interested in the question of what is the situation of security of supply in Austria.

What is the degree of self-sufficiency?

The degree of self-sufficiency is an interesting and important indicator in this respect, which indicates how much of the demand for certain foodstuffs Austria could cover from its own production,

In this context, it is important to know that the degree of self-sufficiency only indicates how much of the Austrian demand could theoretically be met by Austrian production. However, normally foodstuffs are exported and imported in such a way that a considerably lower quantity of the Austrian products is also actually consumed in Austria.

The degree of self-sufficiency is indicated by foodstuff or foodstuff category and is calculated from the quantity produced in Austria (mostly designated with the term “production”) and the quantity consumed in Austria (mostly “domestic use”). If in Austria a lower quantity of foodstuffs is produced than consumed, the degree of self-sufficiency is below 100 percent. If more is produced than needed in this country, it is above 100 percent. By the way, the quantity used in Austria doesn’t correspond to the quantity, which is actually consumed as foodstuff. In particular, for products, which are also used as feedstuffs for animals or for industrial production, the figures for food consumption are considerably lower than domestic use.

Degree of self-sufficiency with plant-based products

For the degree of self-sufficiency with plant-based products the growing conditions play an important role. Some fruit and vegetable varieties need a lot of light and heat and can therefore not be grown so well in Austria. Other plant products can be grown extraordinarily well under the conditions in our country. This is also reflected in the degree of self-sufficiency.

The degree of self-sufficiency for cereals amounts to 90 percent. 5.2 tonnes are produced every year in Austria and 5,8 million are consumed.  However, only 1.1 million tonne of which serves as human nutrition. Per capita humans in Austria consume on average 90.3 kilogrammes per year. The degree of self-sufficiency for potatoes amounts to 78 percent. Potatoes were grown on around 21,900 hectares in Austria, and 763,216 tons were needed, of which 452,000 tons were used as food. On average, 53.1 kilograms were consumed per person. The self-sufficiency rate for vegetables is 55 percent. Austrian could also meet its own demand for onions, carrots and spinach. Particularly low are the figures for example for mushrooms (16 per cent), tomatoes (17 per cent), pepper/chilli pepper (26 percent) and courgettes (32 percent). 1.3 million tonnes of vegetables are consumed in this country per year, the major part of it serves as nutrition. Per capita humans in Austria consume on average 122.5 kilogrammes per year. The degree of self-sufficiency for fruits amounts to 33 percent. Fruit was grown on around 11,400 hectares of commercial orchards in Austria, and 946,000 tons were needed, of which 700,000 tons were used as food. On average, 76.5 kilograms were consumed per person.

Rice is difficult to be grown in Austria; only 287 tonnes are produced per year. However, 57,100 tonnes are consumed, of which 47,500 tonnes as nutrition - these are per capita around 5.2 kilogrammes per year. Austria can thus not cover its supply with rice by itself, the degree of self-sufficiency lies below one percent. The degree of self-sufficiency for oilseeds (thus seeds from which vegetable oil can be produced) lies below 50 %. 443,000 tonnes are produced every year in Austria and 884,000 million are consumed. However, only 64,400 million tonnes of which serve as human nutrition. Per capita humans in Austria consume on average 7.4 kilogrammes per year. The degree of self-sufficiency for vegetable oils amounts to 33 percent.  240,800 tonnes are grown in Austria every year and 382,000 are needed, of which 120,700 as nutrition. Per capita 13.2 kilogrammes are consumed on average per year.

Degree of self-sufficiency with animal-based products

The degree of self-sufficiency for meat amounts to 107 percent Austria could theoretically meet its demand for meat by itself. 860,000 tonnes are produced every year in Austria and 805,000 million are consumed. However, only 532,400 million tonnes of which serve as human nutrition. Per capita humans in Austria consume on average 58,0 kilogrammes per year. The degree of self-sufficiency for beef amounts to 145 percent for pork 148 percent and for poultry 74 percent. The degree of self-sufficiency for fish amounts only to 8 percent. This is little surprise as Austria, having no access to the sea, offers unfavourable conditions in this field. 5,700 tonnes are produced in Austria per year, whereas, with a food consumption amounting to 73,200 tonnes, many times of this quantity are needed. Per capita 8 kilogrammes of fish are consumed on average per year. The degree of self-sufficiency for milk amounts to 177 percent. This refers to drinking milk, i.e., milk that is not further processed into other dairy products. For other dairy products, the self-sufficiency rate is in some cases also above, but in some cases below 100 percent: for cream, it is 110 percent, for cheese 109 percent, and for butter 64 percent. The self-sufficiency rate for eggs is also very high at 87 percent. A total of 144,200 tons of eggs were produced in Austria. On average, 15.5 kilograms of eggs were consumed per person.