Mexico is the third biggest producer of asparagus in the world. In the last 10 years, it tripled the area planted with this crop. According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food, the country's asparagus production's average annual growth rate stood at 13.6%, which highlights the country's agricultural potential for this crop.
Asparagus is a recent crop in Mexico, as its origins date from the late 80's. 30 years later, in 2017, Mexico has 27,409 hectares established with asparagus crops in 15 entities. The most important productions, regarding planted surface, are the states of Sonora, Baja California South, Guanajuato, Baja California, and Queretaro, which account for 97% of the area devoted to this crop. Sonora has the largest area in Mexico. In 2017 it had 15,402 hectares devoted to this crop, i.e. 56.19% of the national surface.
In 2017 Mexico produced 218,667 tons of asparagus. Baja California South will increase its asparagus production volume because, last year, its planted area increased by 38%. Since more and more producers from different states are now growing this crop, the yield per hectare in 2017 varies from 2.95 tons per hectare in San Luis PotosÃ, to 9.5 in Sonora. This difference in yields is explained by the producers' experience in managing this crop and by the different soils, water, and climate conditions they are exposed to. Sonora producers have 30 years of experience with this crop, and have developed and refined the best agricultural management practices for this crop.
Meanwhile, some of the new regions devoted to this crop face serious disease issues, mainly those related to an excess of moisture in the soil, such as rots and rusts, which damage the plant's crown.
Source: El Economista
Author: Antonio Godina Gonzalez