Gurkerl-Bauer complains: 'In Austria everything is stricter, more expensive and more overwhelming'

Alfred Aichinger, a farmer in Hartkirchen near Eferding, has voiced concerns over rising costs and stricter regulations affecting his small cucumber production. Aichinger grows several hundred tons of cucumbers annually, which are processed into vinegar pickles. His farm contributes to the majority of Austria’s annual cucumber output, with around 80 percent of the country's 8,200-ton harvest coming from this region. As one of 130 cooperative members of the fresh and fermented vegetable processor Efko, he faces increasing pressure to remain competitive while maintaining local production. Aichinger argues that conditions for cucumber farming in Austria have become more stringent, expensive, and complex compared to other countries. He emphasizes the need to preserve local production but admits that competitiveness is increasingly difficult. The issue lies in uneven playing fields, particularly regarding herbicide use, production and energy costs, and bureaucratic hurdles. According to Aichinger, these factors make Austrian cucumber farming less attractive than alternatives abroad. The situation is exacerbated by growing imports. Data from the “Wirtschaften am Land” (WAL) association shows that self-sufficiency in Austria dropped to 56 percent in 2025, with a downward trend. Nearly half of all vinegar cucumber consumed in the country, 13,000 tons in 2025, originated outside Austria, primarily from Eastern Europe, Turkey, and even India. This shift reflects a broader decline in domestic market share. Thirty years ago, when Austria joined the EU, regional farmers held 80 percent of the market. Today, that figure stands at just 50 percent. The number of cucumber suppliers has also dwindened from 400 to just twelve. Looming over these challenges is the disparity in labor costs. Aichinger notes that wages in Austria are approximately five euros per hour higher than in Germany, where large-scale cucumber farms operate close to the border in the Innviertel region. For vinegar cucumbers requiring about 2,800 working hours per hectare, the wage disadvantage translates to a minimum of 14,000 euros per hectare for Austrian producers compared to their German counterparts, according to WAL president Robert Pichler. To meet seasonal demands, Aichinger employs 45 temporary workers during the harvesting season. These workers, mostly from Ukraine, receive pay based on collective agreements, around 1,853 euros per month. However, Aichinger points out that additional labor costs in Austria, such as social insurance contributions, are absent in Germany due to a special regulation allowing foreign agricultural workers to work up to 115 days in the country without needing to enroll in the health insurance system. This policy effectively keeps these workers insured in their home countries, creating an imbalance that affects both cost structures and worker protections. Franz Waldenberger, president of the Agricultural Chamber, has expressed concern over this discrepancy. He described the situation as self-inflicted, noting that the current framework undermines Austria’s ability to maintain its position in the cucumber industry. The combination of rising operational expenses, regulatory burdens, and shifting import patterns poses a serious challenge to local producers like Aichinger, who strive to balance tradition with economic viability.