Thanks to the dry fall and cold winter, the asparagus plants were able to store a lot of energy. The jump in temperature from cold February days to very sunny and quite warm spring days has now given this noble vegetable the incentive to sprout vigorously. The first asparagus spears are expected in southwestern Germany as early as mid-March. Significant harvest quantities will be available from March 20, the calendar start of spring. Depending on the cultivation method and degree of early growth, the first asparagus will also be available in northwestern Germany during this period. Easter will then be a real asparagus festival, as asparagus lovers will be able to enjoy the harvest to the fullest.
© VSSE/C.Goeckel
Optimal starting conditions for Germany's favorite vegetable
"The dry fall and very cold winter days ensured optimal energy storage, a good recovery phase, and good growth for the asparagus plants. With what feels like a leap from winter to summer, the asparagus spears are now sprouting profusely. With the unexpectedly rapid warming of the ridges, we can expect a turbo start. Once the harvest begins, things will really take off. We expect to have enough asparagus for everyone by Easter," sums up asparagus cultivation consultant Dr. Ludger Aldenhoff.
Simon Schumacher, managing director and spokesman for the board of the Association of South German Asparagus and Strawberry Growers (VSSE), is also optimistic about the asparagus season: "Based on our experience in recent years, the quality of the asparagus spears will be very good under the current weather conditions. So it will be another very enjoyable asparagus season."
"German Asparagus Day" on May 5, 2026
For the fourth time, "German Asparagus Day" will be celebrated nationwide on Tuesday, May 5, 2026. With this campaign day, the sector wants to draw attention to the important first vegetable in Germany. Customers will receive a small surprise when they buy asparagus at asparagus stands and farm shops. According to the Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft (AMI), Germany's self-sufficiency rate for asparagus was 82 percent last year. This makes white asparagus one of the few vegetables that is produced and consumed to such a high degree in Germany. Buying domestic asparagus not only ensures self-sufficiency in Germany but is also sustainable and fair.
Regional, sustainable, and fair
The short transport routes save a lot of CO₂. According to the Öko-Institut e. V. in Freiburg, asparagus imported by plane from Peru causes around 11 kg of CO₂ equivalents (CO₂e) (various greenhouse gases converted into the effect of CO₂) per kilogram. That is a 27 times larger footprint compared to 1 kg of asparagus produced in Germany (0.4 kg CO₂ equivalents per 1 kg of asparagus). According to the Peruvian Institute for Asparagus and Vegetables (IPEH), 32 percent of asparagus is imported by air.
Review of the 2025 season
According to the Federal Statistical Office, the 2025 asparagus harvest in Germany was 3.9 percent lower than last year, with a harvest volume of 104,920 tons. Over the past seven years, an average of around 114,520 tons of asparagus has been harvested per year. In 2025, the harvest was 8.4 percent below this average. The area under asparagus cultivation has decreased by around 3 percent from 19,764 hectares in the previous year to 19,218 hectares.
At 5.4 tons per hectare, the yield showed a very slight decline of 1.3 percent compared to 2024. Last year, there were a total of 1,349 asparagus farms in Germany (2024: 1,357 farms), cultivating a total of 22,484 hectares (including young plants). The 1.5 percent reduction in cultivation area compared to 2024 and the 0.6 percent reduction in asparagus growers indicate that the decline in the asparagus industry is slowing down.
Association of Southern German Asparagus and Strawberry Growers (VSSE)
The Association of Southern German Asparagus and Strawberry Growers (VSSE) represents the interests of asparagus and strawberry growers, with a focus on southern Germany. With around 630 members, the VSSE is Germany's largest association for asparagus and strawberry growers.
For more information:
www.vsse.de
https://deutschlandspargel.de/
