Times are tough on the Belgian asparagus market at the moment. "The current prices simply aren't good," says Jos Amelinckx of Amelinckx Asparagus & Fruit. "Why? Who knows. There's plenty of supply, but last year there was too. That season went well; the current one's much worse."
The grower cannot complain about demand. Jos has 15 hectares of asparagus, mostly white with a small portion of green asparagus. "Green asparagus is becoming increasingly popular. We sell a little of this in our farm store. It's easier to cultivate green asparagus. They have a lower yield than the white asparagus but reach better prices."
"As usual, the quality's excellent. Our asparagus is always good quality." Besides asparagus, the company grows apples and pears in the fall but focuses on strawberries, cherries, and asparagus in the spring. "Things aren't going well for us at present with the strawberries either. We're selling them below cost price due to the large supply." Despite the challenges, Jos has experienced excellent growth in recent years. "So we'll to keep going in our way in the years to come," he concludes.
For more information:
Jos Amelinckx
Amelinckx Asperges & Fruit
171 Koningin Astridlaan
2880, Hingene, Belguim
Tel: +32 (0) 475 269 915
Email: info@topasperges.com
Website: www.topasperges.com