The green asparagus season continues in Granada, with about 30% of the total volume expected already harvested. At the moment, volumes are limited due to adverse weather conditions, which, together with the current good demand, is resulting in very high prices.
"We are facing the most unusual asparagus campaign I've ever seen," affirms Germán Rodríguez, of the commercial department of the cooperative San Isidro, of Loja, Granada. "The cold came late this year, so the plants were already becoming productive in January and February. In late February, frosts destroyed all the asparagus that was already out of the ground and delayed the production process. Right now, the harvest is slow, with few kilos available, and we are far from reaching the peak in terms of production. This situation will continue for at least ten days," he explains.
The Easter celebrations this year were advanced to dates when we did not yet have the necessary production to meet demand, so prices soared, exceeding 7 Euro per kilo in markets such as Perpignan. "These prices help us boost the season's final average, so it has been a shame not having access to more kilos," laments the exporter. The point is that, when demand is so high, the markets even downplay the imperfections caused on the product by the cold.
After Easter, prices have fallen, although they remain at around 5 Euro per kilo. Calibres are thicker than normal, given the slowness of the product's growth with cold temperatures.
Italy has not suffered any problems with the weather, although according to Germán Rodríguez, "the country does not have sufficient volumes to fill the gap left by the Spanish production, so prices remain high."
For more information:
Germán Rodríguez
San Isidro S.C.A.
Tel.: +34 958320198
comercial@loxa.es
www.loxa.es