Asparagus prices are very low for the time of year. “While in previous years prices might have been extremely high at the start of the season, asparagus prices dropped incredibly quickly in 2017. They are dirt cheap for the time of year. You can now buy asparagus for six euro per kilogram and less. On 15 March, we were at an auction price of six euro. Besides, I have even seen batches that were around five euro, packaged and all. As far as I know, this has never happened with asparagus before,” says trader Bjorn Franco from Rutoma. “The season did not really start off very expensive either.”
Demand disappoints
Bjorn indicates that demand is disappointing. “They do not have to forego asparagus because the price is high, but many people think it is still ‘too early.’ Even though we are having wonderful weather at the moment. We are quite dependent on catering. Once restaurants put asparagus on the menu, consumers follow. But that is not yet the case. Anyhow, private trade is not really amounting to anything yet. The great question is why restaurants have not yet placed asparagus on the menu.”
Yet Bjorn expects the market will recover once demand gets into its stride. “More asparagus is usually eaten around Easter. Although, in the meantime, most will probably have consumed them before that time. Especially when prices remain low. They are not going to wait, they taste just as good now as in a month.”
Belgian and Spanish
Where greenhouse vegetables are concerned, people are in a transitional phase. “There is still some Spanish product, although more and more Belgian product is arriving. Prices are not very special yet because there is so much volume. We have to make sure there will not be an oversupply when Spanish and domestic product are both available. We no longer have to import because of the price difference. And we should be a little bit chauvinistic, I think.” For more information:
Bjorn Franco
Rutoma BVBA
Eernegemweg 154
8490 Jabbeke
T: +32 - (050) 81 90 00
F: +32 - (050) 81 90 09
www.rutoma.be