Prices and volume up on Ontario asparagus

“The volume is about 15 per cent better than last year but last year was our record low yield due to excessive heat and dryness,” says Bill Nightingale Jr. of LaSalette, Ont.’s Nightingale Farms Ltd. Nightingale’s crop began May 1 and will run until July 25. 

Meanwhile prices continue to climb on the popular stalky vegetable. “Prices have been on a steady rise of 5-7 per cent since 2003 and we’re seeing this across North America,” says Nightingale. “The crop takes six years to produce at full production so the demand curve is long. In 2003 there was too much and growers didn’t really start planting again until around 2010 when they felt comfortable with the forward trend.” 



Demand also increasing
Also pushing the pricing up is an equally continuous climb in demand.

“Consumption is steadily increasing,” says Nightingale, who notes competition around this time of year is coming from the U.S. states of Michigan, New Jersey and Washington. “Asparagus is unique since it’s the first product out of the ground grown locally. So many customers anticipate it and look forward to it yearly. Also the quality is second to none, most likely due to Ontario’s sandy loam soils which create high sugars (brix) for flavour.”



Nightingale is also working on new product development in asparagus—namely organic asparagus, white trials and purple asparagus. “We’re currently actually selling organic and constantly putting away more land for several organic items since this is where the biggest growth in demand is,” he says. “White asparagus is about four years away from commercial sales. And purple is readily available but didn’t do that well. It’s a small niche market.”

For more information:
Bill Nightingale Jr.
Nightingale Farms Ltd.
Tel: +1- 519 582-2461
bnightingale@kwic.com
www.nightingalefarms.com/