The first German asparagus will be available in many growing areas by the end of March. This is according to current reports from the respective regional associations. Thus, this year's season starts a little later than last year nationwide.
Baden-Württemberg: 'Not a super-early start to the season'
Asparagus from Baden-Württemberg will probably not be available until mid-March at the earliest this year. According to Simon Schumacher, managing director of the Verband Süddeutscher Spargel- und Erdbeeranbauer (Association of South German Asparagus and Strawberry Growers), the winter has been the coldest since 2017 and the soil has been well frozen as a result. In addition, the weather has been changeable lately, with little sunshine.
However, the sun is necessary to heat the plastic tunnels over the asparagus and thus stimulate the growth of the asparagus plants."That's why I don't think it will be a super-early start," Schumacher told the DPA, referring to the expected start of the season. Asparagus can be expected in the best locations, such as in the regions around Heidelberg, Karlsruhe, and Bruchsal, by mid to late March at the earliest. "It all depends on the weather."
Hesse: First regional asparagus by the end of the month
The asparagus harvest in Hesse starts later this year than last year. "It will take another two to three weeks before the first asparagus can be harvested," said a spokeswoman for the Hessian Farmers' Association. Last year, the harvest began as early as the beginning of March. According to the association, the fact that it is taking longer this time is due to the temperatures. It is still too cold at the roots. However, if the weather gets sunnier, things could quickly get underway, according to the spokeswoman. The official opening of the asparagus season is on April 3.
Rhineland-Palatinate: 'The necessary cold spells were present'
Asparagus growers in Rhineland-Palatinate expect the harvest to start a little later this year. "In Rhinehessen and the Palatinate, it will probably not start before the end of March," Andreas Köhr, deputy managing director of the Bauern- und Winzerverband Rheinland-Pfalz Süd (Rhineland-Palatinate South Farmers' and Winegrowers' Association), told DPA. So far, the growing conditions have been good overall. "The necessary cold stimuli were present, and the water supply is also good." The start of the harvest now depends above all on the hours of sunshine. Warming the soil by solar radiation on the foils is currently more important than the actual temperatures.
As for prices, this also depends on the harvest volume and market conditions. "Last year, the supply and demand were balanced, but it is not possible to make a forecast for the current year because too many factors are unforeseeable," says Köhr. In Rhineland-Palatinate, there are about 93 asparagus businesses with around 1,375 hectares of asparagus fields.
Brandenburg: Hoping for a further reduction in VAT in the catering industry
Brandenburg's producers are expecting an early asparagus harvest starting at the end of March this year due to mild temperatures. Preparations for the asparagus season have already begun in the fields. "We are optimistic that we will be able to start harvesting in about a month, at the end of March," Jürgen Jakobs, chairman of the Beelitz Asparagus Association, told the DPA. The foils were placed on the asparagus dams at the end of the frosty weather.
"We have set ourselves the goal of keeping prices stable," said Jakobs. A kilo of good-quality local asparagus will again cost around 10 to 12 euros. At Easter, prices could be slightly higher at 15 EUR per kilo, said Jakobs. In his view, more consumers have been turning to green asparagus for some time. Jakobs is also hoping for a renewed reduction in VAT in the restaurant industry after the change of government. "With 25 EUR, you can eat asparagus. But we see no room for a further price increase in the restaurant industry."
The asparagus growing area around Beelitz has already shrunk by a third to around 1,200 hectares since 2018.
Bavaria: Asparagus producers focus on direct marketing
The Waltl farm in Sandharlanden, Kelheim district, is setting new priorities and has adapted to them in recent years. One thing is particularly important to the Waltl family: they want to manage the majority of the tasks on the farm with their own workforce, i.e., their large family. "We have reduced the area under asparagus cultivation and, in turn, expanded the restaurant business," says Gabi Waltl about the development of the concept. Together with her brother, Franz Xaver Waltl, she runs the direct marketing and country experience travel business.
Waltl asparagus is also sold at the company's own stalls up to 200 km away and at weekly markets within a radius of 100 km. In addition, restaurants within a radius of around 100 km and, via the Munich Wholesale Market, the local food trade purchase the noble vegetables. The Waltls generate around 95 percent of their sales through direct marketing and the restaurant – only 5 percent of sales are through the wholesale market. To encourage customer loyalty, the Waltls have a bonus system and reward loyal customers: for every 10 euros spent, whether in the shop or at the stall, they receive a loyalty point. Once customers have collected 15 points, they can exchange them for a 5-euro voucher when they next shop. The direct marketer is delighted with the response: "The system has been well received by customers."
