Vegetable prices rose by 2.5 percent within a year, with asparagus (+25.7 percent) becoming significantly more expensive. This is according to data collected by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). Domestic spears dominated the market and gained further momentum. According to the BLE, availability increased slightly again. Demand remained favorable. In some places, it could not be fully met, causing prices to rise. However, the price increases had a negative impact on subsequent sales in some cases, forcing retailers to offer slight discounts again. Accommodation options improved noticeably, especially towards the weekend. In most cases, stocks were avoided.
German loads were mainly accompanied by Polish deliveries. Slightly more expensive Dutch loads were also often involved in the trade. Belgian and Spanish offers were supplementary. There were also Mexican and Peruvian green products, but these were hardly in demand. In general, marketing is entering the home stretch; the traditional end of the asparagus season is not far off.
Schleswig-Holstein: Good harvest and sales volumes in April and May
Most direct marketers in Schleswig-Holstein are largely satisfied with the season so far and are pleased with consistently good sales. They hope that demand will remain brisk after Pentecost and in the "final sprint" of the season until June 24. The quality of the produce remains very good, so the outlook for the rest of the season remains optimistic. Most asparagus fields are still in good condition, and the areas that have already been harvested are now receiving the necessary water.
The sunny weather and public holidays (Labor Day, Mother's Day, Ascension Day) provided the necessary incentives to buy in the weeks after Easter, and businesses were satisfied with sales. The sunny days also ensured sufficient harvest volumes without excessive temperatures leading to an oversupply of domestic asparagus. In Schleswig-Holstein, a good 90 percent of the asparagus produced is marketed directly. Demand has therefore been in line with production volumes so far in the 2025 season.
North Rhine-Westphalia: Dry weather led to poorer asparagus harvest
With just over two weeks to go before the end of the asparagus season, suppliers in Lippe are painting a rather gloomy picture. The weather meant that harvesting could begin in early April. However, the prolonged drought also led to lower yields, according to the Westphalia-Lippe Agricultural Association. The Brandings Hof farm in Lage is giving up asparagus cultivation after more than 30 years, following this season. The reasons for this are changing consumer behavior and increased personnel costs.
Lower Saxony: 'Consumer sentiment is good'
"Consumer sentiment is good," reports Sören Spille from the Köhrmann farm in Hatten in the Oldenburg district. Demand for asparagus was particularly high around Pentecost. The asparagus copes well with dry conditions thanks to its long roots, reports Spille, who took over the farm last year and runs it together with his partner Annika Schulze: "The yield tends to vary depending on the temperature. If it's cold, the asparagus becomes scarce," he says.
In such cases, even switching to black plastic sheeting on the beds where the asparagus grows and is harvested by hand is of little help. Spille recognizes that his customers greatly appreciate this manual labor, which accounts for around 90 percent of the work involved in growing asparagus, from harvesting to packaging, but price increases are only possible to a limited extent. "We offer very good quality and are not the most expensive, but also not the cheapest," he says, explaining the good demand so far. He therefore views the planned increase in the minimum wage with concern.
The Spargelhof Werner in Deinste (Stade district) can also look back on a successful season overall. The first asparagus was harvested in the last week of March – an early start that paid off. "We were very happy to have a great supply of asparagus for Easter in mid-April. The quality was superb, and the start of the season was thoroughly enjoyable," reports Christoph Werner. The conditions were ideal: a sunny April, combined with the use of plastic sheeting to cover the asparagus beds and raise the soil temperature, created optimal growing conditions. The result: excellent harvest results in perfect weather.
The situation was different in May. Cool temperatures, wind, and rain dominated the picture. This meant difficult conditions for the harvest workers, as asparagus is still laboriously harvested by hand. "That wasn't very pleasant, of course," says Christoph Werner. Nevertheless, the rainfall was good for nature and not so heavy that it damaged the sensitive asparagus beds.
Baden-Württemberg: Asparagus still ahead despite decline in acreage
Asparagus has been the dominant vegetable in Baden-Württemberg for years and enjoys long-standing popularity among consumers. In 2024, the royal vegetable was grown on 2,112 hectares. This included 1,881 hectares of high-yielding plantations. A further 231 hectares were classified as young crops, which cannot be fully harvested until their third year. Almost three-quarters of the land planted with green and white spears is located in the Baden region, mainly in the districts of Freiburg im Breisgau and Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald (900 hectares) and in the northern part of Baden with 533 hectares in Karlsruhe, Rastatt, and the Rhine-Neckar district. However, after the boom of the last decade, asparagus seems to have passed its peak. Both the area under harvest and the young plantations have been significantly reduced by a total of 675 ha compared to 2016.
As the most important "leading vegetable", this also had an impact on the total area under vegetable cultivation. In Baden-Württemberg alone, 50 percent of the decline in acreage over the last four years is attributable to cleared asparagus plantations. The reasons are manifold. In addition to rising minimum wages and the reduced availability of seasonal workers, documentation requirements and increased energy costs are also factors. Although these issues also affect other areas of agriculture, they are even more pronounced in asparagus cultivation, which is labor-intensive and requires a high level of cultural management.
Brandenburg: Asparagus remains the most important vegetable in terms of yield
According to the latest publication by the Berlin-Brandenburg Statistics Office, asparagus is the most important vegetable in Brandenburg in terms of yield. In 2024, 20,200 tons of the vegetable were harvested in Brandenburg. Pickling cucumbers (33,600 tons) and carrots (23,600 tons) had even higher harvest volumes. However, in terms of yield, asparagus remains ahead.