The harvest of green asparagus in Greece is in full swing. "In Imathia, the harvest is at the midpoint of the season. However, sales have been under pressure in recent days, partly because all production zones are active on the market at the same time, and partly due to the Easter and May Day holidays, which have made distribution more difficult. But asparagus doesn't pause its growth to wait. Right now, yields per hectare in Imathia amount to 7 to 8 tons," says Mr. Kostas Tsakos, a green asparagus grower and owner of Tsakos Asparagus.
© Tsakos Asparagus
"This season has gone well in terms of both production and prices. Only now have prices dropped. In our region, we are the only ones packing the product, and the price for a 500-gram bundle is currently around €2,50," notes Mr. Tsakos.
The season for green asparagus in Imathia concludes at the end of the month. Exports are now limited, and the domestic market is showing greater interest. Mr. Tsakos says: "The start of the tourist season will help boost sales within Greece. Orders from hotels and restaurants will increase, as foreign tourists visiting the country want to try green asparagus, which is part of our culinary tradition. However, I don't think prices will change significantly."
© Tsakos Asparagus
Despite this year's good season, Greek asparagus still faces many challenges. Mr. Tsakos explains: "Asparagus is a labor-intensive crop. It doesn't wait. It must be harvested under any conditions—even in the rain. But even during the rest of the year, asparagus fields require a lot of work. It's not easy to find laborers for all this. I was the first in the area to bring in workers from Thailand, but the public services don't function properly, and the arrival of more workers is being delayed excessively. We can't work like this."
© Tsakos Asparagus
"In the past, we were also involved in white asparagus, which has a stronger export profile. However, due to the challenges I've mentioned, local packing stations shut down, and those farther away, in Pella, aren't interested in coming all the way here. Still, we have our own development plan for building a modern packing facility that will help us upgrade our operations," stresses the Greek entrepreneur.
For more information:
Kostas Tsakos
Tsakos Asparagus
Email: [email protected]
https://tsakosasparagus.gr/en/home/
